Let's Rock this Rocket Ship!
by AkiyamaFC
Summary: Prepare to be blasted by sci-fi and music as the S.O.S Brigade and Light Music Club take the "All Four Homemade Souls" festival by the horns!
1. Prologue

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Prologue

Summary: The first annual five day "All Four Homemade Souls" Festival in Kyoto, Japan is being held in Maruyama Park, where Japanese people of all ages get to come and enjoy the concept of the traditional festivals of that of Japanese culture. There, those who have come can enjoy fun, food, games, and an unusual main event; the movie/song combo extravaganza! The rules for contestants are simple: pick one of the four genres, horror, humor, action, and sci-fi, and create your homemade movie and five songs to go along with it to showcase in the main event, which the winning genre will be announced on the fifth day.

The brigade chief of the S.O.S Brigade of North High School, Haruhi Suzumiya, and the (self-proclaimed) president of Sakuragaoka High School's Light Music Club, Ritsu Tainaka have both caught whiff of this newly created festival, and intend on having their own clubs stomp the competition, but problems present themselves on both sides. Haruhi realize that most of the brigade members don't know how to play any instruments, and the Light Music Club can't find a suitable genre to put in their songs, not to mention that they don't now how to make a movie. However, when their two clubs meet and join forces, the chaos thrown together grows enormous as their plans for festival domination go wild. The seeming-everlasting running, movie-shooting, musical adventure of the S.O.S Brigade/Light Music Club starts today!

Author's Note: The P.O.V of the story are shown as the underline titles of each section.

***WARNING*: CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Haruhi Suzumiya: The energetic and voice-piercing leader of the S.O.S Brigade who, unknown to her, has the supernatural power to reshape the world to her will.

**T.N.T Legion Role: Co-Leader, 'Ultra-Producer', Third Guitarist**

Yui Hirasawa: The lead Guitarist and Vocalist of Sakuragaoka's Light Music Club. Has a childish personality and does not take many things seriously, but is dedicated to helping her friends with her (limited) skill of Guitar.

** T.N.T Legion Role: Lead Guitarist, "Yuki Nagato"**

Kyon: The second member, and voice of reason of the S.O.S Brigade, being the only member of the brigade with no supernatural abilities. Even though he finds Haruhi's gasoline-powered determination madly bothersome and complains about her behavior going out of whack, he enjoys his time in the Brigade, and is ready to face any threat that would ruin his good time.

**T.N.T Legion Role: Co-script writer, Secondary Bassist**

Mio Akiyama: The Bassist and Secondary Vocalist of Sakuragaoka's Light Music Club. She acts very mature and often keeps the club in line, but is easily scared by even the slightest hint of scary stories and Ritsu's playful pranks.

**T.N.T Legion Role: "Mikuru Asahina", Lead Bassist**

Yuki Nagato: The third member of the S.O.S Brigade, who appears to be an intelligent, yet quiet bookword, but is actually a Humanoid Interface (Alien) from an extraterrestrial branch known as "The Data Integration Thought Entity" to observe Haruhi's movements.

**T.N.T Legion Role: Movie Editor, Techno Creator **

Ritsu Tainaka: The (self-proclaimed) president of the Light Music Club. Is often the source of energy and enthusiasm of the club, but can often be as lazy as Yui. She enjoys playing pranks on Mio, which often leads to a harmful bump on her head.

**T.N.T Legion Role: Co-leader, Drummer, "Haruhi Suzumiya" **

Mikuru Asahina: The Fourth member, and the mascot/secretary of the S.O.S Brigade, who is from an (unidentified) timeline somewhere in the distant future. Is often afraid of Haruhi's ambitions, but carries out her duties for the safety of the future.

**T.N.T Legion Role: Tambourine Player **

Tsumugi Kotobuki: The rich, airheaded keyboardist prodigy of the Light Music club. Having lived the lustrous childhood of a rich girl, Tsumugi now wishes to embrace the life of a normal high school girl. Had originally intended to join her schools choir club, but accepted the invitation of join the Light Music Club instead.

**T.N.T Legion Role: Lead Keyboardist, "Itsuki Koizumi" **

Itsuki Koizumi: The fifth and final member of the S.O.S Brigade, who joined the Brigade out of the appearance of being a "Mysterious Transfer Student". In actuality, he is a member of a mysterious organization consisting of humans who possess ESP (extrasensory perception) and psychic powers. He believes that Haruhi is the god of this current world, and strives to keep the world as it is.

**T.N.T Legion Role: Secondary Keyboardist **

Azusa Nakano: The Rhythm-Guitarist of the Light Music Club, and the youngest, being her role as a Freshmen Student. Like Kyon, Azusa is often the voice of reason of the club, finding the clubs laziness and lacking will to practice unacceptable and irritating. However, she has a weakness to the clubs calm manner, and is often persuaded by sweets and cosplaying, being roped into the clubs strange activities before she realizes it.

**T.N.T Legion Role: Secondary Guitarist, "Kyon"  
**

Tsuruya: The S.O.S Brigade Honorary, and Tsumugi's childhood friend. She contains a very hyperactive personality, and can find amusement in the smallest of things. Often adds "~Nyoron" to the end of her sentences due to her prominent tooth, and has a weakness for smoked cheese.

**T.N.T Legion Role**: **Cameraman, Background Dancer **

Ui Hirasawa: Yui's younger, yet more mature sister. She often cares for Yui, who cannot take very good care of herself, whenever their parents are not present (which is almost all the time with they traveling for work or vacation) but finds no room for error as she enjoys caring for her childish onee-chan.

**T.N.T Legion Role: "Kunikida", Snack Provider**


	2. Ch 1: The Beginning

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 1: The Beginning

* * *

(August 28th, 8:57 pm, Maruyama Park. 4th Day of the Festival, Day of Performance.)

Haruhi Suzumiya

_Alright. This is it. There's no going back now! Time to show what we're made of!_

"Wow!" Yui giggled. "There are so many people here!"

Kyon and Yui were peeking through the curtains, looking to see how many people were out there, though I wish they quit it! We were about to go on, and they were wasting valuable preparation time!

Kyon didn't seem to waste comments either. "There's got to be at least three-hundred people out there!"

Besides, I didn't need them making me more nervous than I already was.

_God! What am I worried about? There's no problem to this. None! Besides, I should be looking at Mio._

"Ugg...Oh god..three-hundred people..."

"What's the matter, Mio?" Ritsu replied on her drums. "You _scared?_"

"I-I am not scared! I'm just...stating the obvious! That's all!"

"Looks like you're doing more than that by the way your feet are shaking. I wonder if we'll all get another _special _performance from you like last year, Mio."

***BAM!***

"In your wildest dreams!"

"oww...I might just have one right now."

"Hey!" I replied. "We don't need anyone sleeping now, and Mio! We don't injures affecting our performance either! Kyon! Yui! Stop acting like grade schoolers and get ready!"

"Oh! Ok!" Yui said cheerfully. "Let's get ready, Gita!"

"I'd like to know how we're acting like grade schoolers." Kyon replied. "We're just looking through a curtain."

"You're slacking off! That's what!" then I turned my attention to the two in the back. "Koizumi! Tsumugi! Both of your keyboards are ready, right?"

It looked as if they were making their final checks. Unlike _some people._

"My keyboard is all set, Ms. Suzumiya." Koizumi replied with that smile of his.

"I'm ready as well." Mugi-chan said after.

"We better get in our positions." Azusa said. "The movie's about to end."

"Alright!" Ritsu cheered. "Remember everyone! We're starting with 'The Puzzle of Time', then we'll work our way down. Everybody in positions!"

Everyone was running in their correct spot. Yui, Azusa, and myself on guitar. Kyon and Mio on Bass. Ritsu on drums. Tsumugi and Koizumi on keyboard. Mikuru on tambourine, and Yuki on the side lines with her cool sound effects machine for her song.

"Alright." I said with a stern voice. "Is everybody ready now?" as I looked to my left and right, and everyone seemed prepared. All except for a red-faced Mio breathing in and out of a brown paper bag.

"That's it." Kyon keep saying. "Just take slow, deep breathes."

With my hair pick in hand, I couldn't resist the temptation.

***POP!***

"AHH!" Mio screamed. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR!"

"I don't need a reason, so quit acting scared! You're preforming at a live festival in front of three-hundred people. This is no time to be getting cold feet. You would want to disappoint all your fans, would you?"

Mio, at first, got surprised, then seemed to clam down and, to my surprise, put a smile on her face.

"Thanks, Haruhi. I needed that." she replied.

"Uh! Uhh...F-Fine! Just keep what I said in your head, you got that?"

As a turned, I noticed that Kyon gave me a small thumbs up, though I acted as if I ignored it completely. I don't need his pity

...though it was appreciative.

"Listen!" Azusa said. "You hear the crowd?"

The crowd outside were cheering their voices out, and clapping to the extreme.

"Yeah." Mikuru said. "They sound happy, and really loud."

"They must have loved the movie we made!" Yui replied. "Just listen to them!"

I couldn't help but smile. The movie was a hit! Of course, I knew that, knowing that I'M the one who directed it. Now all that's left is the songs. I know that we're going to nail it. We have to!

"Alright, Yuki!" I said, facing my smile towards her. "Raise the curtain!"

Yuki gave a small nod, turned, and pushed the small up arrow button to lift the curtain. As the curtain raised, so did my spirit.

_This is it._

_This is it!_

* * *

(July 28, 9:10 am, Kyon's house, Living Room. 32 days until festival performance.)

Kyon

Remember all that stuff about me thinking that the topic of 'Santa Claus' was so stupid, it can't even be up in a conversation? Well, when you've spent the past year and three months hanging out with aliens, time travelers, and espers, you begin to question what you believe in.

Me? I was changing my beliefs one to many times, you'd think that I'd apply for so many churches and temples for 5 times the community service. That would would look good on my collage application.

If you know the story so far, you know that normal isn't exactly put in my dictionary. I mean, what's so normal about my situation so far? Stopping the endless looping of summer vacation, trying to separate reality from a movie, moving back and forth from different dimensions to get back the weirdness of this world, solving a simple door puzzle to escape a messed-up time space in a mansion in the middle of a blizzard, keeping two Ms. Asahinas from meeting each other, and saving a young boy in order for the possibility of time travel to exist, and to top it off, having to deal with an "Anti-SOS Brigade" wanting their god to have Haruhi's powers. They were all a handful, and you know what?

I was completely OK with each event.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking, and yes, I'm sane. I'm perfectly aware of all the life and death situations that a certain brigade leader has put me through. If I was the me back in the beginning of my freshman year, I would've wanted my death wish right about now. Peace and quiet were all I cared about back then, but after my little incident back right before winter break, I found that if I had that peace and quiet that I 'o so craved', the situation would change around for the better.

Still, even I needed a break every now and then. After the S.O.S Brigade helped out Ms. Tsuruyas family with their Flower Viewing Party, I was completely exhausted, or at least I tried to be.

I was sitting on my couch on my house, flipping through the TV channels to find a suitable show to watch, but nothing really caught my attention. Was I concerned with homework? Not really. I managed to finish most of it during the break, and I was just taking a break. I seem to be living in an age of miracles, though. Maybe I was just trying to brush off some of that leftover energy I had after the Flower viewing party.

Anyway, even though I tried focusing my attention on the TV, my eyes always turned back towards my cell phone, and every time I looked at it, I picked it up for some reason, as if I was waiting for someone to call me.

Or that I knew someone was going to call me. Unneeded memories of last summer started to fill my mind.

That's when it happened.

***RING-RING-RING!***

I don't know why, but the fact that my cell phone was ringing made me felt kind of warm inside.

_Caller ID: Itsuki Koizumi_

Then quickly disappeared. Nevertheless, I picked up.

"Hello?" I answered.

"_Well. Hello there._" Koizumi replied in that polite manner of his. "_It's been a long while since we lasted talked._"

"It's only been a week."

"_Ha, heh, heh. Very true. Sharp as a tack, as always._"

"Ugg..."

"_Anyway, on to the matter on why I called you. Ms. Suzumiya wants the entire brigade to meet in the usual cafe spot today._"

"What did she say it was for?"

_"I'm not sure. All we heard was that she has the rest of our summer break planed out for us. Oh, and Ms. Tsuruya will be present as well._"

As usual, I was the last to hear.

"I see. So I guess I'm paying?"

"_That would be a good conclusion._"

"_Great_. All right. I'll meet you guys there."

"_Very well. See you there._"

***BEEP-BEEP***

I didn't know what was Haruhi was planning. All knew was that it was going to be something totally unreasonable and out of whack that my feet wouldn't even get a five minute break.

Well...I'm not sure if I'm right or not, but the possibility still exists.

* * *

(July 28, 10:01 am, Yui's house, Yui's Room. 32 days until festival performance.)

Mio Akiyama

"All right! We're all here now so I, Ristu Tanaka, president of the Light Music Club, hereby call this meeting to order!"

With that in mind, Ristu slammed down the gravel she had that plainly had the words "Made in China" on the side.

It even had the price tag still on it.

"So what are we meeting for?" I asked. "You suddenly called me on my cell, and told me to come straight to Yui's straight way."

"Yeah, so? You make sound like I was pushing you to do it or something."

"It was 6:30 in the morning, and when I did get here, you were nowhere in sight. The rest of us had to wait here for three hours before you finally decided to show up."

_Did I even have to bother? Then again, it_ is_ Ristu._

"Ha, ha..So _maybe _I fell back asleep, and missed the train ride here. A girl has to have her beauty sleep, you know?"

"If you're the president, take more responsibility!"

"Heh, heh. Yeah, sorry about that."

It had only been a day since we had come back from the Light Music Clubs second training camp, and as usual, we didn't get much band practice in. Not the best way to impress Azusa, our newest member, into the club. Now, without even a day to rest, Ristu calls us all out of the blue for a new activity she has planned.

***SNORE...SNORE...SNOOZE***

"Yui-senpai." Azusa said, trying to shake Yui out of her bed. "Please get up. We're starting the meeting."

"Ugg...give me five more minutes, Azu-nyan. I almost got the chocolate bunn...

***SNORE***

"Dreaming about food, as usual." I replied.

Ristu gave a devilish smile. "Well if food in a dream can make her sleep, then food in reality can wake her up. Mugi-chan!"

"Oh! Right!" With that in mind, Mugi, our kind, rich pianist, cut a slice of the cake she had brought earlier, and put the plate she had put the slice of cake on near Yui's nose.

"Yui! Wake up, please! I have a nice slice of Shiori Koibito Chocolate Cookie Cake for..."

***MUNCH!* *MUNCH!* *MUNCH!* *MUNCH!***

"AH! Yui-senpai! At least use a fork!"

* * *

"Ah! Mugi-chan! That cake was so good!"

"Thank you." Mugi said. "My family said that the cake was shipped all the way from Hakkaido."

_Whoa! Hakkaido! Isn't that all the way all the way at the top of Japan? Just what I expect from Mugi's family._

"Well..***MUNCH***..this isn't the time to..***MUNCH***..be focusing on cake." Ristu said with her mouth full.

"You're one to talk!" I couldn't help but yell that into her face. "Can we please get to the reason on why you called us here?"

"Oh, right!" Ristu nearly spit out the cake in her mouth as she that while setting her plate down.

So gross...

"All right, so. On my way home from the train station yesterday, I came across an old man with a strange top hat handing off flyers to a bunch of people, and you know when I see something interesting, I take the chance! So I made my way into the crowd, and got one of the flyers. The old man told me that his group was holding a brand new festival they created, and were looking for participants for the main event for the festival. It was then that I discovered IT."

"Ohh!" Yui said amazed. "What's 'IT'?"

"What we're going to do for the rest of our summer break, of course! I've decided that the Light Music Club will preform at this new festival!"

"Wow!" Azusa proclaimed. "A real-live festival performance!"

"Hold it." I couldn't help but say. "What are we going to do for this festival anyway, and when's the deadline?"

Ristu's smile didn't seem to go away. "Hold your horses, Mio. All your wishes will be answered on this single piece of paper.

I hated how she said that last part with an old English accent. "Well, let's see it."

Ristu, now digging in her bag, couldn't keep that smile of hers away. It was nice to see we would be able to do something the five us to do together. I just prayed that Ristu wouldn't go over-bored.

"Hold onto your hats, ladies, and check this out!"


	3. Ch 2: Tsuruya-san's idea

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 2: Tsuruya-san's Idea

* * *

(July 28, 10:13 am, Local Cafe. 32 days until festival performance.)

Tsuruya

"Hold it. What's this piece of paper you're shoving in my face?"

"Come on, Kyon!" I said. "Take a look! It's not going to bite you or anything."

Kyon took the paper out of my hand and read it. It was like the suspension like in one of those horror films! :)

"_The first annual five day 'All Four Homemade Souls' Festival in Kyoto between August 25-28. _Huh...So I guess that we're going to this festival?"

Haruhi chimed in right there. "We're not just going to go to this festival. Read the bottom!"

Kyon seemed to do just that. "Hmm...'_Contestants wanted! Guidelines rules for contestants are one..._oh I get it. So we're going to enter this competition, right?"

"Yep! You know it!" Haruhi cheerfully said. "This is a chance for the world to know that the S.O.S Brigade exists! We'll wow the audience with our amazing movie, and then our five songs will ring through the air with the sound of cheering audience members to follow. I'm talking standing ovations, people! Standing ovations!"

_Wow! Haruhi sounds like she really getting into this. Every time I hang out with everyone, we always have a crazy adventure, and it turns out to be really fun, and I always do what I can to help out. This time will be no exception, so I have to give it my all!_

"It sounds very fun to do," Koizumi said with that cool voice of his "but do we have all the necessary tools to accomplish this task?"

"We have the camera from our last movie, so we have the movie portion part of the requirement."

"And as for the song portion," Kyon said "do you have any idea on how we prepare?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Not all of us know how to play any instruments. Not to mention the fact that we don't have any instruments to begin with."

"Well...that's true, but still! It doesn't matter how we do it right? All we have to do is bring five original songs."

"Don't tell me that you're going to do all the songs by yourself?"

"If that's what it takes!"

As Haruhi finished talking, I could see a bit of doubt in Haruhi's face. I bet she was wondering if she could all the songs in time. I mean, I never of singers that finish a song in a mouth, much less 5 songs. I thought and thought in that weird silence that the meeting fell on.

That's when it hit me!

I waved my hand in the air like a manic, desperately yelling "Oh! Oh! My turn! My turn!"

Haruhi seemed to noticed me. "Huh? What is it?"

"I just remembered!"

"You remembered what?" Kyon said after.

"About a fiend of mine! You see, I had a really good friend back in the day. The both of us went to through a special education course throughout our childhood for gifted children, and I remembered her being really kind-to-earth and really pretty too! She was a really great friend, but we split up after we finished because she wanted to an all-girl high school, but I remember her family being really rich and connected in the music industry!"

"Really!" Haruhi bursted out. "That's awesome! Just what I expect from our Honorary!" then she stood up and raised her fist in the air like a true winner! "Now we're able to move forward with this competition!"

Kyon look concerned though. "But we still don't know which genre we're picking!"

"Don't worry about it! We'll decided everything once we got everything set!" Haruhi said to Kyon, then turned her attention to me. "Ms. Tsuruya, you still have your friends contact information, right?"

I couldn't help but smile. "You bet!"

"Great! Call her right now! We have to be as prepared as possible as soon as possible! We have only one month to prepare, so we need all the time we can get!"

With that, I dug into my bag, and grabbed my cell phone, streaming through my contact list. _There, I found it! I'm really excited, too! It was a long time since we talked._

_I wonder what she is up to?_

* * *

(July 28, 10:14 am, Yui's House, Kitchen. 32 days until festival performance.)

Tsumugi Kotoboki

***DING***

_Oh! The tea is ready! Ui seemed to notice as well._

"Do you need any help with that, Ms. Tsumugi?"

"No, thank you." I replied. The tea set wasn't very heavy so it was all right to carry.

As I walked into the living room, I was thinking. Yui's sister, Ui, is always so forward with helping others. It's so sweet, and really responsible of her. It's nice to know that despite Yui being the older sister, Ui doesn't mind being the responsible type. It's a sign of a true loving family.

We were taking a break from our meeting after Ristu felt exhausted after explaining so much about the festival we were going to. Yui and Ristu were playing video games in front of the living room TV, and Mio and Azusa were sitting on the couch watching them.

"Everyone! The tea is ready." I said.

"Great!" Ristu said, not looking away from the TV. "Could you put our cups in of us, Mugi-chan?"

"What about our meeting?" Azusa asked.

"Don't worry about it! We'll get back to it as soon as a beat Yui on this one..."

***BAM* *BAM* "GAME OVER!"**

"Yay!" Yui cheered, waving her hands in the air. "I win!"

Ristu seemed very upset. "Aw man! You and your sister spend way to much time playing this game!"

"Actually," Ui said, walking in. "Sis and I almost never play this. It's usually only on occasions."

"Way to spoil my mood."

Ristu then looked over to Yui with a competitive look. "All right! Best two out of three! Winner gets the first bite of Mugi-chan's cake!"

Yui had a sudden sparkle in her eyes. "Oh! Mugi-chan's cake! You're on!"

"Listen up!"

I suddenly found Mio-chan standing in front of the TV, with her arms cross, and a very displeased expression on her face.

"We still need to figure out what we need to do for the festival. We don't have any equipment in order to make a homemade movie, and we don't even have a genre picked. I don't want this to end like the training camp, doing almost absolutely nothing!"

A eerie silence fell the room. Not to mention the atmosphere of guilt. She was right. We were suppose to be focusing on the festival, and I felt very ashamed that it wasn't on my priority thinking.

"Mio". Ristu spoke, breaking the silence. "We haven't been doing absolutely nothing." then she grabbed into her bag, and pulled out another sheet of paper. "Check it out!"

Mio took the paper out of Ristu's hand, and when she read it, her eyes widened.

"T-the festival registration form?"

"Yep! I got it from the same place I got the flyer. That's ..heh, heh...sort of the reason why I over slept today."

Azusa got excited all of a sudden. "Because you spent all night filling out the registration form?"

"Yeah. I fell asleep at my desk filling out the last of it and well, you know know the rest."

"When did you turn into the responsible type?" Mio-chan said with a more relaxed expression, followed by Ristu's smiling peace sign. It was nice to know things were moving smoothly again.

"Umm..but there are still some blank spaces left." Yui said as she looked at the form.

"Yeah. Those are spots I couldn't fill out, such as the genre, the name for the group. You know, basic stuff."

"Right..."Mio said, giving the paper back to Ristu. "But there's still the problem with the movie. Like I said, we don't have any equipment, and we don't have any idea for it's plot."

Ristu was thinking intensely now. "Ok guys! We need to figure out which genre will fit our image! Time to put on our thinking caps!"

***RING* *RING* *RING***

"Oh! That's my phone!" I replied "I'm sorry! I have to take this."

I made my way to the kitchen to answer the phone. It was embarrassing to have my phone ring at a time like this, but I never leave a phone call unattended, even if they are spam text.

***BEEP* **

"Hello? Tsumugi Kotoboki speaking."

_"Hey there Mugi-chan! Long time no see! Well, it's only been two years, and we're not really _seeing _each other, but you know what I mean!" _

I knew that voice. That voice was hyperactive, girl-like, and very excited. That voice was...

"Ahh! Ms. Tsuruya! It's been too long! How are you?"

_"Oh, I'm fine, thanks for asking! I know it seems kind of short notice since we haven't talked in a while, but I need to ask for a favor."  
_

"A favor? I don't know what it is, but I'll see what I can do."

_"Great! See, me and a group of my friends are going to compete in a new festival in Kyoto in it's main event, and we have an idea for a film we're doing, but we don't have any instruments for the song portion. So I was wondering if you could..."_

"Wait!" I suddenly blurted out.

_"Huh? What's the problem?" _

"...Do you mean the 'All Four Homemade Souls' festival?"

_"Yeah! Do_ _you know about it?" _

I couldn't help but gasp in happiness. "Yes I do! The band I play in is competing in that festival as well, but we don't have a movie idea!"

_"No way! This is...such a coincidence!"_

"Yes it is! S-so where do you want to meet about this?"

_"Oh, yeah! Umm...  
_

Another voice came up. _"Ms. Tsuruya! Tell her to meet us at her family's music store at 12:00! We'll be there by then!"  
_

_"Ok! Mugi-chan! Let's try meeting at your family's music store at 12:00! We'll be there by the time your group gets there!  
_

"All right, then! See you there!"

***BEEP* **

I couldn't believe it! Ms. Tsuruya was such a good friend back during my childhood. I loved the idea of meeting with her again, and I believed she solved the case of our delema!

I had to tell the others about this as well, so I turned around towards the living room. That's when I found all the others hurdled in a group looking at me.

"_We heard everything_." Ristu said with a baleful look on her face.

"Huh?" I was completely confused. "How?"

"You had the speakers on." Mio spoke up.

_Oh! That's the reason that her voice seemed louder than usually. I didn't notice._

Ristu got very excited right then. "Ya-hoo! Things have just taken a turn for the better! Let's get ready, guys! To the music store!"

* * *

(July 28, 10:18 am, Local Cafe. 32 days until festival performance.)

Yuki Nagato

Subject Tsuruya ends long distant consultation, and lays cellular device in personal billfold. Conversation concerning the designated event placed on August 25-28 begins:

Haruhi Suzumiya: So! Tell me! Tell me! Did she say yes?

Tsuruya: Yep! She told us that she was in a band that needed a script for a movie in her group, so everything works out!

Haruhi Suzumiya: Umm...I'm not sure if this a good idea now. I kinda wanted this to be a "Brigade-only" activity.

Kyon: What else do you want to do? We need musicians for this contest we're doing, and besides, we already said yes. It's rude to turn down an offer after you've accepted.

Haruhi Suzumiya: Hm! I know that, and I certainly don't need you to tell me that. Anyways, I guess this is a good thing. We have our musicians, so the next thing is to meet them! I kinda want to see the instruments myself, too.

Kyon: Why? You want to play as backup or something?

Haruhi Suzumiya: Nah. I want to see which type of instruments we should use for the movie. Just in case I don't like the instruments that the others bring.

Kyon: I'm...not gonna reply to that one.

Recipient of payment for the refreshment services is place in the front position of subject Kyon.

Haruhi Suzumiya: Alright, guys! Let's head out! We need to meet up with Tsuruya's friends if we're going to get anywhere with this competition! Lead the way, Ms. Tsuruya!

Tsuruya: Leave it to me, captain! If you all will please follow me.

Conversation concerning the designated event placed on August 25-28 ends. All subjects exited their single-seated furniture, and proceed to exit via entryway, while subject Kyon brings compensation of beverages to the register individual. Due to traffic interferences and distance to destination, estimated time arrival calculates to 11:00.43 am.


	4. Ch 3: Where's Yui-chan?

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 3: Where's Yui-chan?

* * *

(July 28; 11:01 am, Front of Central Mall. 32 days until festival performance.)

Mikuru Asahina

After I had excused myself to use the restroom before we left, I had to get the approval from my superiors. They would get upset if I were to get involved in something without there knowing.

Luckily, all I had to say was that Ms. Suzumiya was involved for them to give me the approval. They didn't want the chance of any possible abnormal time-distortions to happen, so I it seemed that I had gotten worried over nothing.

It took a very long time for us to reach the music store. There was a long line of traffic on the interstate, so I didn't think we would reach the music store before Ms. Tsuruya's friends did. I did like to see all the different cars, however. From the time I come from, most of the cars there weren't anything like the ones I saw.

When the bus stopped at a local mall, Ms. Suzumiya jumped from her seat when Ms. Tsuruya pointed to the mall, saying that this was our stop.

"Finally! The anticipation made me want to rip my seat apart! Now, come on!"

She became so worked up, she ran off the bus just as the doors open. "Hurry up, guys! They'll leave before we even get a chance to meet them!"

"I don't think they'll leave us." Ms. Tsuruya said as she walked down the bus stairs. "Mugi-chan wasn't the type of person to get so impatient, she'd quit right in the middle of something. That's just how she is."

All of us where now off the bus, and we staring at the entrance of the mall.

"The place is called '10GIA music store." Ms. Tsuruya announced again. "It's somewhere in the mall, but we should be able to find it easy if I remember correctly."

"The mall looks really big." Kyon said. "How are we going to search the entire place? Do we even know were to start?"

"Looks like we'll need to widen our range." Ms. Suzumiya said, then took out six think sticks with different three different colors for each two sticks. It looked like the ones we used when we did searches around the city for strange happenings during the first term of school last year.

"There are only six of us, and we have a large area to cover, so we'll have to divided ourselves into three groups of two. Everyone, grab a stick and see which group you're in."

Everyone grabbed from the pile and saw the color and their sticks, including me, and the groups where decided. Ms. Suzumiya was with Ms. Tsuruya, Koizumi was with Kyon, and I was with Ms. Nagato.

"Alright! Everyone is in their groups, so let's get hunting! Call me on your cell if you find the store, and then stay at your position! We're using all day to find this store! No breaks and no exceptions! If I find any of you slacking off, it's the death penalty!"

And with that, Ms. Suzumiya grabbed ahold of Ms. Tsuruya's arm, and power walked towards the entrance of the mall.

"Bye, guys!" Ms. Tsuruya said, waving her other arm. "See you later!"

When they were out of our sight, I looked over at the others. Kyon had a calm expression on his face, Koizumi was still smiling, and Ms. Nagato's expression hadn't changed at all since this morning like normal.

"Looks like we've got some hunting to do." Kyon said, then turned towards Koizumi. "So, where should we start?"

"Hmm...maybe it would be best to start off in the center of the mall, and search for the store on the map they have."

_Ohh! I didn't think of that! _

"I can't believe Haruhi didn't think to try that first."

"Well, she seems all gun-ho about find Ms. Tsuruya's friends, meaning she really wishes to go through with this festival performance. Therefore, she has no time to think about anything else."

"That could end in a very bad way, if you think about it."

"Nevertheless, she has moved forward with a sharp ambition all this time, and there have been no permanent results yet. ***WALKS TOWARDS ENTRANCE*** As long as Ms. Suzumiya is enjoying herself, we won't have to worry about any unusual happenings anytime soon, do we?"

"Well, you've got a point there."

Kyon then turned towards me, with a concerned look in his eyes. I could see that he was worried about me, and felt bad because of it.

"Oh, don't worry about me. Ms. Nagato is with me, so I'll be protected in case anything happens."

"O..Ok. I was just making sure, is all."

"Kyon!" Koizumi called out. "We better get going!"

"Alright! Coming!" He said, walking backwards. He gave a final hand wave, which I gave back in return. Soon, Kyon and Koizumi walked into the mall, and disappeared behind the crowd of people."

"So, Ms. Nagato." I said when I turned in her direction. "Where should we go first?"

Ms. Nagato looked at the entrance for a while, but pointed her finger at a store. "There."

"Umm...but Ms. Nagato. Isn't that a book store?"

* * *

(July 28; 11:05 am, Central Mall Cafetorium. 32 days until festival performance.)

Ritsu Tanaka

"You just had to run all the food court when we got here, didn't you Ritsu?"

"Hey, don't blame me, Mio! I didn't breakfast!"

"Then I can blame you!"

We just made it to the mall to meet up with Mugi-chan's friend, and I was really excited too. I really wanted to see what type of people Mugi-chan hanged out with in her childhood. Maybe she was just as rich as Mugi-chan, and had summer homes at the beaches as well! Or better yet, maybe she was so rich, the thought of them owning a private cruse that I could spend the rest of my life in couldn't help but swim in my mind!

"Mugi-senpai." Azusa asked. "What is your friend like?"

"Well, let's see..." She put her finger to her chin like her was a detective in on of those late-night drama movies. "I remember that she is a very hyperactive person, and sometimes, speaks in a very loud voice, and has a prominent tooth, which causes her to speak in a idiosyncratic speech pattern, causing her to say things wrong and leave out syllables."

"Wow." I said. "She must have some really interesting friends."

"However, I know she's a really good person at heart because when ever we did activities, she'd always wish for everyone to have a fun time."

"Oh!" Yui said out loud. "She sounds really nice! Is she rich like you, Mugi-chan?"

"Yes, I believe so. Her family is part of a major business contortion, and they cooperate with my family in the music industry. Such things like registering in the proper instruments needed, or helping with momentary management. They're a very helpful organization, and that's how I came to meet Ms. Tsuruya."

"Wow!" I said out loud. "The power of rich family connections!"

"Anyway," Mio said. "If we're going to be doing this concert, we have to at least come up with the idea that we're going to be using. Have we even got _that_?"

"Don't worry." I said as I finished my drink. "We'll figure all that out when we meet Mugi-chan's friends and her friends to boot!"

"I figured."

Once Yui and I finished our meals, I made my announcment. "OK! Let's get to it then! Time waits for no man or woman!"

We all got up and made our way out of food court, seaching the area of any sign of Mugi-chan's friend.

Then...

"Ahh!" Mio yelled. "What the...!"

A large crowd of people suddenlly came out of nowhere, and swarmed all of us into it. It was a battle of survival that lasted for about a minute, and when I got out of there, I felt like I fought with my life.

"Woah. Who knew malls where so extreme?"

"Ritsu!" A voice called out. "Are you okay?" I turned to my left to find Mio, Mugi-chan, Azusa-chan and...

"Uhh..." I said. "Where's Yui-chan?"

Everyone had their eyes widened and their heads turning. The unthinkable had happened.

We had lost our air-headed guitarist in a strip mall.

"This is bad." Mio said. "This is very, very bad."

* * *

(July 28; 11:14 am, 10GIA Music Store. 32 days until festival performance.)

Kyon

"So, this is the place huh?"

"Yes. '10GIA Music Store', no mistaking it."

After Koizumi and I found the map in the middle of the mall, it was pretty easy to find the store. All I was hoping then was that Haruhi and the others would come to the same conclusion and arrive quickly. We didn't seem to find anyone with the discription that Ms. Tsuruya gave us, so after we browsed the top of the store, we came back out and waited for the other.

"Ugg...where are they?" I blurted out. "We have two sets of people coming, and not either group has shown up yet!"

"It IS rather crowded, that's for sure." Koizumi replied calmy. "I did recall a sign showing a 50% off sale for a famous department store that's located here."

"Well, it is the summer time. Perfect for clothe shoping." I said as I pulled out my cellphone. "I'm gonna call Haruhi and tell her that we found the store. My guess is that she's getting all antsy about trying to find it herself."

"Ahh. Good plan."

Just as I was browsing throught my contact list, the roar of feet stomping suddenly filled my ears. I looked up to find a stampede of people running towards one of the stores at the far end of the where I could lay my eyes. As the last people ran pass us, someone popped out.

A girl.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! Woah! Woah! Woah! Woah! Woah!" Is what she was saying when she was falling in a tripping manner, and then...

***BAM* **

I closed my eyes for a moment there because the noise was so loud. I'm pretty sure Koizumi did the same too. When I opened my eyes again, I saw him running towards the girl, and crouched when he got to her side.

"Oh my goodness! Are you okay?" He said to the girl. "Where does it hurt?"

"She just landed hard on her butt! I think that's where hurts!"

"Owweee..." The girl was rubbing her...behind and then, her eyes widened and stood up. "Oh! Where am I? Mio-chan! Ricchan! Azunyan!" She called out while turning her head around like crazy. She finally stopped and had the look of making a startiling relization.

"I'm lost. I'm lost and I don't where I am..."

So quickly, she fell to her knees, put her hands to her eyes, and obviously started crying. Now, I found myself in one too many of these situations with Ms. Asahina, such as when the both of us traveled back four years ago and meet the seventh grade version of Haruhi during Tanabata, or when I saved the time-travel-creating boy from being hit by a truck, but this was completely different. This was just a girl would lost her friends in a mall and can't figure out where she is.

Almost as cute, but more...infint like.

To try to diffuse the situation, I crouthed down near the girl and tried to comfort her. "Hey, listen. Don't worry. I'm sure that your friends are..."

***PLOP* **

A noise quickly caught my ears, so I looked to my side, only to find a chocolate candy bar beside Koizumi, who was now crouthed down like me.

"You brought a candy bar with you?" I asked.

"Ohh!... Well, it was the first edibale thing I grabbed when Ms. Suzumiya called me early in the morning, but after I ate at the cafe, I guess it was rather pointless of bringing it after all."

_No wonder the bill was so high._

"You mean that you didn't eat breakfest? I at least grabbed a protein bar before I..."

***MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH* **

The next sound I heard was that of execive chewing, and since it was really close, I had a pretty good idea of were it was coming from.

"HMM! So tasty!"

"HEY!" I said to the girl. "It's not nice to take peoples stuff without permission!"

"? But he said he wasn't going to eat it."

_That makes it okay? And what happened to your sad face? _

* * *

The girls name was Yui Hirasawa. Apparently, she was here with her group of friends searching the mall for 'something' when she got sweaped away by a group of people, and landed here.

That's what I got at first when she was explaining everything while still eating Koizumi's candy bar.

"Hmm..." Koizumi started saying. "Well, we can't exactly leave her like this, can we? We have to do something for her."

"But what about Haruhi? She'll be expecting to find us here, and you remember what she said about slacking off. I don't want to die."

"Umm." Yui said, cutting in. "You guys shouldn't have to worry about stuff over my account."

"Don't worry, Ms. Hirasawa." Koizumi stated. "It's no trouble at all." Then he stood up and looked towards me. "Kyon, stay here and wait for Ms. Suzumiya to arrive. I'll go and help Ms. Hirasawa find here friends."

"You sure that's OK?"

"Don't worry, it'll be alright. If Ms. Suzumiya asks, tell her that it was a job I assinged myself as Deputy Cheif."

_That's the first time you've used your rank, if I recall. _

Suddenly, Yui stood up and started shaking Koizumi's hand like crazy. "Oh, thank you, thank you so much, Mr.!...uhh."

"Itsuki Koizumi, and the man to my side is Kyon."

"OH! Kyon! That's a funny name!" She said as they started walking away, then she started singing "_Kyon! __Kyon! __Kyon! __Kyon! __Kyon! __Kyon! __Kyon!_ Kyon!"

_Thanks a lot, Koizumi. Now my name can be put in a childrens song. Rest assured that I'll get you back for this.  
_


	5. Ch 4: Problem Solved with Cake

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 4: Problem Solved with Cake

* * *

(July 28; 11:17 am, 10GIA Music Store. 32 days until festival performance.)

Azusa Nakano

So much time had passed, and we still couldn't find a glimpse of Yui-senpai. I could've imagined her crying oceans of tears, trying desperately trying to find us. If we couldn't find Yui-senpai by days-end, Ui would have a stroke, not to mention we would have no chance of meeting Mugi-senpai's friends, and no chance of making our performance. That in mind made us search twice as hard.

"Mio-senpai!" I said after I came out of my search in a clothing department. "Did Yui-senpai call yet?"

"No, not yet." Mio-senpai replied. "Every time I call her cell phone, it would give me her voice mail immediately. Knowing Yui, I bet she forgot to charge her cell phone last night. Either that, or she forgot to bring it."

_That does sound like something Yui-senpai would do. _

"So, now what?" I asked.

"I don't know. Yui is still probably looking for us as well, but I bet she's losing her mind right now with no communication."

"Oh..."

Mio-senpai was right. It was very, very bad.

"And so the unprotected prey wander aimlessly through the strands of this lonely trail," went Ritsu-senpai's voice. "unknown of the possibility that she would become the next victim of the massive bloodshed events that take place in the evil known as 'THE STRIP MALL'!"

"AAHHHH!" Mio-senpai screamed out, which draw out some attention from the other mall shoppers.

"Ritsu-senpai! This isn't the time for jokes!"

"Heh, heh. Sorry. I couldn't help myself."

"Mio-chan." Mugi-senpai said, trying to calm Mio-sempai down, who had her hands to her ears, shaking in fear. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to her."

"_I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that._"

The situation wasn't getting any better as far as I could see, and with Mio-senpai shaking in her boots again, it wasn't going to move for a while. I ended up sitting down on the bench in front of the music store that was in front of us, trying to think of a solution out of this mess.

_Oh man. What are we going to do? _

"Huh! What do you mean that you're still looking?...Wait, I can't hear with all that chewing in the background...Okay. Listen. I just called Haruhi, and she's on her way here, so could you please hurry up and find Yui's friends? I haven't moved for a while, and I'm starting to feel like a statue!"

_...huh? Wait! What did he just say!?_

_Yui...Yui-senpai!_

I immediately turned my head to find a brown haired guy with an annoyed look on his face.

"Okay. Alright, I'll be there as soon as Haruhi arrives. At least tell me where you ar-"

"Umm! Excuse me!" I said out loud to the man.

"Ah! D-Don't scare me like that!"

"Uhh! That phone call you just made! You said the name 'Yui', as in 'Yui Hirasawa'?!"

"W-well yeah...

Wait...you-you know her? Are you her friend?"

"Oh! Yes, I'm..."

***TAP TAP TAP***

"Looks like you're having fun, _Kyon_."

I heard a voice right beside the man named Kyon, and saw a pale skin toned, brown hair girl, and the annoyed face Kyon-senpai had was three times the look she had.

"AH! Haruhi!" Kyon-senpai said. "T-This isn't what it looks like!"

"Don't worry, Kyon. I know _exactly _whats going on."

_Uh? Are these two dating? Oh no! Don't tell me that she thinks he's cheating on her!_

***STANDS UP*** "Umm! Excuse me, miss! I know what this seems, and I wish to tell you that there is no relations with me or your boyfriend here ***BOWS*** So please forgive me for the confusion!"

...

...

"What are you talking about? He's not my boyfriend."

***LIFTS HEAD* **"Huh?"

"I was talking ***POINTS FINGER*** about THAT."

My head turned, I found a extremely-excited Mugi-senpai talking with a really long, green haired girl, with Ritsu-sempai down on her feet.

"Ms. Tsuruya!" Mugi-senpai exclaimed. "My goodness, it's been so long, and you've changed so much!"

"Yeah! You've changed a lot as well Mugi-chan, but I'd recognize those caterpillar eyebrows from anywhere ~nyoron!"

"Wow!" Ritsu-senpai exclaimed. "You're hair is so long, and so green! Did your hair go under some sort of mutant transformation?!"

***WAM!***

"Don't make up random crap!"

_Looks like Mio-senpai recovered._

Turning my head back, I saw the guy named Kyon being scolded by the girl named Haruhi. "I can't believe this! What are you doing talking with these girls when we're trying to be finding them, not to mention when you do find them, you're suppose to inform _me_, your_ brigade leader_, about it! You'll always be a subordinate brigade member if you keep acting this way!"

"I understand," Kyon-senpai calmly replied. "but can I say something in my defense?"

"What? And don't give me some dumb-ass excuse!"

_What are they talking about?_ I then noticed that Kyon-senpai's cell phone was on the ground. Kyon-senpai must've dropped it when he got shocked by Haruhi-senapi's arrival. When I picked it up, I also noticed that the name "Itsuki Koizumi" on the screen.

_Uhh? Who this? Is he still on hold?_

I put the phone up to my head and answered. "Uh. H-Hello?"

"_Huh? Hello. May I ask who is speaking?_"

"M-My name's Azusa Nakano. I'm a friend of Miss Yui. Can I speak to her please?"

"_Oh! Yes, of course, but you see, Ms. Hirasawa is a bit...preoccupied at the moment._"

"Preoccupied?"

"_Yes, that sounds about right. I'll put my phone on speaker so she can hear you._"

"O-okay!" I said, then completely got quiet. All my attention was put to the phone, waiting to hear Yui-senpai's voice. It was so nerve-wreaking my feet where starting to ache from shanking.

Then I heard something.

"_***MUNCH MUNCH*** H-Hewow?_"

"Yui-senpai! You're okay, right?!"

"_Ah! ***GULP*** Azu-nyan! You've got to come over here! The sweets are SO great!_"

"...

..."

_Yep. That's DEFINITELY Yui-senpai. _

"_I see._" Koizumi-senpai said over his speaker. "_So she is a friend of yours._"

"_Oh yeah! She's Azusa, a member of the band I mentioned earlier, but I call her 'Azu-nyan' because she's SOOOO CUTE when she-_"

"O-KAY! Ah ha ha! Yui-senpai! Where are you right now!?" I asked, desperately trying to avoid the way that conversation was going.

"_Oh! Right! We're at this _amazing _candy shop right beside Mugi-chan's music sto-_

_AGUH!_"

"_SO, you thought you could relax while the rest of us were worrying our butts off about you, huh?!"_

_Huh? Ritsu-senpai?_ I scaned the area, and saw through a glass wall of a resturant Ristu-senpai having Yui-senpai in a chock-hold.

"_Ricchaaan, your fighting ability is so deADly!_"

_My god..._

* * *

(July 28; 11:26 am, 'Let's Sweets' Buffet & Sweets. 32 days until festival performance.)

Itsuki Koizumi

"My god." Miss Akyiama said to Miss Hirasawa. "We were so worried about you, and here you were, eating sweets."

"Heh, heh, heh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get distracted by the sweets."

"It was partly my fault, Miss Akiyama." I admitted. "We weren't successful in finding you, so we went back to tell Kyon about our failed search. That's when Miss Hirasawa found this restaurant, and all the sweets being set for sale. She was so intrigued by them that I offered to buy her some."

"And they were super good too! Thank you so much, Itsuki-kun!"

"Oh, it was my pleasure."

"It was the resturant that made the sweets." Miss Akiyama said. "Not him."

We had finally found Miss Hirasawa's friends, and along with that, Miss Suzumiya, Miss Tsuruya, and Kyon were in the exact meeting spot we were in as well. It was rather surprising, and quite coincidental.

Miss Tsuruya had gone with Miss Tainaka, Miss Nakano, and Miss Kotobuki to the buffet for sweets. Kyon had gone outside to call for Miss Asahina, and Miss Nagato to the restaurant, and I was with Miss Suzumiya, Miss Hirasawa, and Miss Akiyama at our large table, talking about today's events.

"Well, I know you did this to help some poor girl," Miss Suzumiya said to me. "but at least inform me immediately when your about to something like this."

"Right. Again, I apologize, Miss Suzumiya."

"Geez. You don't have to apologize so much. More over, you must have a lot of money, Koizumi." Miss Suzumiya said, then turned her attention to Miss Hirasawa, who's plate was completely full. "Because you're bankrupting him! How much of those sweets did you get!?"

"Well, he said he was treating me. So I thought that meant 'All You Can Eat!'"

"Hmm...well, it is a buffet. I guess it makes sense."

"No, it doesn't!" Miss Akiyama exclaimed to Miss Suzumiya, then turned to Miss Hirasawa. "And you shouldn't take advantage of other people for your own personal wants!"

"B-But I didn't, Mio-chan! He was perfectly fine with my portions! He even offered to buy me a chocolate milkshake!"

"Huh? ***TURNS HEAD*** You did?

"Well, I was treating her. So I thought it would be generous of me to offer her a drink."

"Well, a milkshake isn't necessarily a drink, but that was still very nice of you." Miss Akiyama complimented. "You must have a lot of money."

"If that's the case, pay for your own breakfast next time."

I heard a voice right behind me, causing me to turn my chair all the way around, and see Kyon, Miss Asahina, and Miss Nagato right behind me.

"Finally!" Miss Suzumiya said, standing up from the seat on my right side. "Where were you two!?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Miss Asahina said. "We were searching the east side of the mall, and we weren't able to find anyone that Miss Tsuruya described, so we ended up kind of lost."

"Well, I guess I kind of expected that from you, Mikuru, but Yuki-

-Huh? Yuki, what do you have there?"

Miss Suzumiya had notice that Miss Nagato was holding two plastic bags, both full with books.

"...I bought these." Miss Nagato said.

Miss Akiyama then took noticed of Miss Nagatos bag of books. "Whoa! How many books did you buy?!"

"A lot."

"And half of them are Mangas." Kyon pointed out. "They were having a 50%-off sale on all their books, trying to compete against that department who are having the time of their lives with all their customers."

"Wow!" Miss Suzumiya exclaimed. "Competition's ready being ravished today, huh?! Maybe we should open our own store, and join the fight! "The S.O.S Brigade Shop of Wonders!"...Yeah! I like the sound of that!"

"We don't have any merchandise to sell, you're not even wondering why Nagato was slacking off, we're getting off topic, and...you're not even listening!" Kyon said in his rather annoyed manner. It, however, seemed that Miss Suzumiya was still in a trance of thought, with her eyes closed, the whole time.

"Let's see...if do open one, we'll need something to sell...***TURNS*** Hey, you guys. Do you guys have anything in your clubroom that..."

Miss Suzumiya stopped mid-question. The group went quiet when we noticed Miss Hirasawa had gotten off her seat, and was now standing right in front of Miss Asahina, studying her very carefully.

"Yui!" Miss Akiyama shouted. "What are you doing!?"

Miss Hirasawa didn't reply, but after a few seconds, she broke the silence.

"Mikuru-chan, was it?"

"AH!" Miss Asahina said, completely startled. "Y-Y-Yes!"

Miss Hirasawa looked at her for a couple more seconds, then spoke again. "Based on my keen intellect, and vast observation skills, I have deemed that you are...

***HUGS***

SOOOOOO CCUUUUUTTTEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Now Miss Hirasawa was utterly hugging (perhaps strangling) Miss Asahina, with their cheeks together, who was now screaming in a very high voice.

"AHHHH! W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

"OHHH You're so CUTE and CUDDELY, I just want to put a bow and dress on you, and keep you as one of my dolls!"

Miss Akiyama and Miss Suzumiya looked very upset, and they need up trying to separate the two, with Miss Akyiama pulling Miss Hirasawa, and Miss Suzumiya pulling Miss Asahina.

"YUI!" Miss Akiyama screamed. "Cut it out! You're embarrassing us!"

"That's right!" Miss Suzumiya exclaimed. "You're abusing your rights in this group! The only one who can hug Mikuru-chan like that is me!"

"Don't say that out loud!" Kyon claimed also. "And who said you had that right?!"

"Hey, Mio! You've got to see this dessert!"

Just then, Miss Tsuruya, Miss Tainaka, Miss Nakano, and Miss Kotobuki came up to the scene, where after Miss Tainaka made her statement, looked confused and then excited.

"What the...

OH Cool! Tug-of-war! I want in! Hey, Azusa! Hold my dish for me, will you!?"

"What? Ritsu-senpai, why do I-?!"

"Hey, Mugi-chan!" Miss Tsururya said to Miss Kotobuki. "Can you hold my ice cream for me, nyoron~? I want to fight for Mikuru-chan!"

"Oh! Sure thing!"

Miss Tsururya and Miss Tainaka gave their dish to their counterparts, and went to proceed in the struggle, with Miss Tainaka behind Ms. Akiyama, and Miss Tsuruya behind Miss Suzumiya.

"Hey guys! Stop it! Everyone's staring at us!" Kyon keep saying as he observed the battle between the six women. He had a very worried look on his face, and tried to plan a strategy on how to enter the brawl.

"Umm...excuse me?"

The battle halted when we heard a voice. Everyone, including myself, turned our heads to find a tall, brown-haired waitress.

"Huh...drinks, anyone?"

***ALL TOGETHER IN UNISON* **"Y-Yes, please!"


	6. Ch 5: The Alliance

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 5: The Alliance

* * *

(July 28; 11:34 am, 'Let's Sweets' Buffet & Sweets. 32 days until festival performance.)

Mio Akiyama

***FOREHEAD FLICK***

"OW OW! Mio-chan! You're so mean!"

"You deserved it, Yui. Now apologize."

"Owwe...***BOWS TO MIKURU*** I'm very sorry."

"Ohh~. It's okay. I'm feeling fine now."

***POUND POUND***

"Hey, you three!" Haruhi called out. "Get over here! We're starting our meeting!"

Yui finally stopped harassing Mikuru-senpai, and I punished her with a hard forehead flick. Although, it was just like Yui. Anytime she sees something she finds cute or adorable, she acts like kid in a candy store, and incidentally, that's also how she acts in a candy store.

She still owes me 200 yen for that candy bar.

Everyone had now gathered in the store for our first meeting ever as our groups for the festival, and we pretty much had the capacity of ten people. Even though we were a large group, I felt that we still didn't have nearly enough people to start our assignment. I mean, I've seen the 'behind the scenes' videos people put on DVDs to present how they made the movies companies make, and the number of people that worked on it were massive, not even comparing to our group. I didn't even think about it until now, so I thought about voicing my opinion on that matter, but Haruhi started the meeting before I could speak.

"Alright! Let's start this meeting! Thanks to the wonderful connections of the Tsuruya and Kotobuki households, our two groups have come together to attempt to tackle the "All Four Homemade Souls" competition!"

The table became surrounded with applause from the other members. Only Kyon seemed to clapped nonchalantly.

"As you know, people from all over Japan will be competing in this tournament, and they all may or will have experience, giving them the competitive advantage,"

_All over Japan? This isn't a national competition._

"However, we have something they will never have."

"OH! A collection of western style kimonos, nyoron~?"

"A crystal ray-gun that gives you super powers?!"

***GLARE*** _Shut up, Ritsu._

"The worlds largest strawberry cake?!"

_No, Yui._

"An ego the size of China?" said a hand-palmed-to-cheek Kyon.

"***POINTS TO TSURUYA*** No, ***POINTS TO RITSU*** that'd be super cool, ***POINTS TO YUI*** no, ***POINTS TO KYON WHILE GLARING*** and _no_."

"Ugh..."

"We have the unlimited amount of pure soul and dedication of our hearts! We _will _win this competition, and make the other competitors grovel at our feet!"

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Ristu proclaimed, giving Haruhi a hard high-five.

"Now then," Haruhi spoke again. "A successful group always works as one, and that means that we have to know each of our fellows as if we are own flesh and blood to create perfect symphony together!"

_You make it sound like this is a family reunion. _

"Therefore, let's start off by introducing both our groups! I'll start off first!"

Haruhi then stood up, cleared her throat, and smiled as she started speaking.

"We are known as the S.O.S Brigade of North High School. We are a special organization separate from all the normal clubs at our school for the sole purpose of only one goal in mind:"

Her eyes closed while her right rose up in the air and her breath stiffened. What ever the goal was, she sure knew how to make the suspense more intense.

***OPENS EYES, POINTS FINGER STRAIGHT FORWARD***

"to find Aliens, Time Travelers, Espers, and have fun with them!"

...

...

...

"Wow! That sounds awesome!"

_And Yui's optimism is as active as_ _ever. _

"And now for proper introductions!" Haruhi's speech continued. "I am Haruhi Suzumiya, the sole founder and leader of the S.O.S Brigade, and these are my subordinates." Now she was pointing down the aisle of seats to her side, introducing each of her members.

"Our second-in-command Deputy Chief, Itsuki Koizumi,"

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I hope to have a great time doing this project with you all."

"Our Secretary and Adorable mascot, Mikuru Asahina,"

"Umm...I-It's nice to meet you guys."

"Next, you know her as our hyperactive Honorary, Miss Tsuruya."

_Actually, we didn't. Mugi-chan did._

"Hello, fellow girls! I hope that we have a super fun time rocking this contest nyoron~!"

"And our two lower members, Yuki Nagato, and you can call him Kyon."

"I have a name, you know!"

"..."

"Umm. Miss Nagato." I asked her, who was reading one of the books she bought. "You don't have to be shy. It's okay to talk to us."

Kyon chimed right in there.

"Uh...yeah see, the thing is, Nagato isn't shy of anything. She's just really quiet, and _really _likes books."

"Ohhhhhhh!" Ritsu blurted. "You seem to know a lot about her, _Kyonnnnnn_!"

"Grr...will you shut up!? For your information, she always brings books to the clubroom. I'm betting she's already finished reading all literature books we have there."

"Heh, heh! Keeping a _watchful eye_, are we? You're digging yourself a deeper gra-"

I didn't let her finish.

"That's it, Ristu. Hand your forehead over."

I lifted myself out of my seat, moved to where Ristu was seating, turned her head towards me, and wrote the word 'mouth' (口) on her forehead with a washable marker I had in my bag as punishment. We had only been here with our new allies for less than 20 minutes, and Ritsu was already on the road to screw this whole thing up.

"HA HA HA HA!" Haruhi laughed out loud, followed by some of the other members laughter. "You look like some sort of Shounen monster out of a manga or something!"

"Oh yeah?!" Ritsu said, standing up and waving her fingers antagonistically. "_Oh, look out! My forehead is going to eat your brains! GA HA HA HA-_"

Now I was starting to get pissed. For the next punishment, I decided to leave Ritsu a more...affective reminder not to divulge into this anymore.

***WAM!***

"OWCH!"

"Let's move, shall we?" I told her, turning back to my seat.

"Ow..." Kyon exclaimed. "That looked like it hurt."

"It does..._ow._"

"Now then!" Haruhi spoke again, as if she didn't notice what had just happened. "Let's move on to you guys. Which one if you is the leader?"

"That be ME!" Ristu announced loudly, as she completely forgot about the reminder I left her.

Leaders think alike I guess.

She stood up, cleared her throat like Haruhi, and began.

"We are Sakuragaoka High School's light music club! Our goal as the greatest musicians this side of Japan is to rock our generations with the our spread of Pop-Rock music, and showcase it in the grandaddy of all events!"

"Uhh...what would that be?" Mikuru-senpai asked.

"BUDOKAN!" Ritsu screamed, which made Mikuru-senapi flinch greatly. Ritsu then stood up on her seat, shooting her hand in the air. _Sit down! Your drawing unneeded attention! It's embarrassing!_

"Our goal is the musical stage of Budokan! I swear that one day, we and our instruments will make that stage and play so well that gods will cry will tears tears of joy, or my name isn't Ritsu Tainaka, drummer extraordinaire!"

...

...

...

I had to hide my face behind the menu I was holding to keep my face from being see from the customers who were looking our way (which I eventually lowered). Why couldn't Ritsu jump introduce our band like a normal person?!

"Well," Haruhi spoke out. "you certainly have the energy to be a leader. ***THUMBS UP*** I like that!"

_Please don't. Trust me, you'll regret it._

"And right over here are our fellow musicians." Ritsu showcased.

"First off, our primary guitarist whose personality matches that of a grade schooler, Yui Hirasawa!"

"Hello, guys! I know this contest will be completely awesome and cool! I wonder if there will be refreshments at the end."

_Yui, you're a human sweets disposal._

"Then there's our freshman rhyme guitarist, Azusa Nakano!"

"Please don't extend your voice, Ritsu-senapi." ***LOOKS ACROSS TABLE*** Hello, everyone. ***BOWS HEAD*** I hope that we can all enjoy this competition together."

"Next is our rich, air-headed keyboardist, Tsumugi Kotobuki!"

"Oh! That's me! Hi, everyone! I'm really excited to be in this competition with you all! I can hardly contain my excitement!"

"And last, but not least, our tall, cute, and _blue-striped pa-_"

***EVIL GLARE*** "If you value your life, Ritsu, don't you DARE that sentence!"

"R-right...Our bassist, Mio Akiyama." ***SITS DOWN***

_That's better._

"Ahem! It's very nice to meet you guys, and I hope this competition will turn out well. Also, please forgive Ritsu for her rash behavior. Our leader tends to be a bit of a hothead sometimes. Actually, _all _of the time."

"Welcome to the club." Kyon said to me.

"Good, then!" Haruhi blurted out. "Introductions are out of the way so now, we can get to business!"

"By that, you mean...?" Kyon asked.

"God, Kyon. Use your head for once! We need to start preparing of the festival! We have a lot to cover, and we have only a month to do it!"

"I realize that, but..."

"If I could make a suggestion," Koizumi chimed in. "Maybe we could have someone to help lead this large group of ours to keep ourselfs organized. 'The leader of the pack' as they would say."

"That's...not a _bad_ idea." Azusa said.

"I like it!" Haruhi proclaimed. "And I know just the person to be in such a position! Isn't that right, my dear Ritsu?"

"_Oh, no, no, no_! That can't be true! For I know of a certain individual that'll be great for this high role, most energetic Haruhi."

They both laughed as if they were in the Middle Ages, and I knew instantly that this was about to turn ugly.

"***UNION*** I'll be leader!"

They both stopped, and turned their faces across the table, looking at each other. They soon started squinting their eyes, and their expressions turned...stupid.

***SLAMS TABLE***

"Oh yeah?! What makes you think you can be leader, huh?!"

"I could say the exact same thing to you, Miss Brigade Leader!"

Now they were standing out of their seats, yelling in each others faces. They ended up conducting stupid arguments, trying to point out how they would lead the group better than the other, and I wondered the whole time how this turned into politics.

_Oh geez. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse._


	7. Ch 6: Quite a Misunderstanding

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 6: Quite a Misunderstanding.

* * *

(July 28; 12:21 am, 10GIA Music Store, Lower Level. 32 days until festival performance.)

Kyon

In order to keep our group from becoming the primary spot on the morning news, Mio, Azusa, and I took Haruhi and Ritsu outside the restaurant, and lectured the two of them like no tomorrow.

Well...actually, I remember Mio doing most of the talking. It seemed that she already knew what to say as if she had been through this before. However, even though Ritsu was whimpering at her feet from Mio's loud voice, Haruhi just stood there like a statue with a annoyed look on her face. It was like that time I was explaining to her that putting perverted (and yet dazzling) poses of Miss Asahina on the S.O.S Brigade website would catch the eye of some sort of creepy rapist.

And just like this time, I betting she wasn't even paying any attention.

_(Mio: What's with you two?! I'm already use to you acting like a complete idiot, Ritsu, but Haruhi, I can't believe you would get engulfed in this kind of behavior too! How can you lead your group like this if you're some sort of bumbling moron who gets distracted easily?!_

_Haruhi: ...Are you trying to make some sort of point?  
_

_Mio: W-what are you..?  
_

_Kyon: ***PUTS HAND ON MIO'S SHOULDER*** Forget it, Mio. Haruhi has the attention span of a bag of hammers.  
_

_Haruhi: Want to say that again!?  
_

_Kyon: ***PUTS HAND DOWN*** Listen. One issue comes up, and you two start acting like spoiled children. If you want to settle this dispute, I suggest you two start acting like spoiled adults, and handle this somewhere else._

_Ristu: ...hey. That's not a bad idea! **  
**_

_Kyon: N-no! That's not what I meant!  
_

_Ritsu: __***TURNS TOWARDS HARUHI*** Let's go to my house! I'm prepared to beat your butt in any competition you can think of!_  


_Haruhi: Oh, you are SO on! ***GRABS AZUSA'S ARM*** You! You'll be our score keeper!"  
_

_Azusa: W-hat?! Wait! Hang on a sec-!  
_

And with that, the two yellow headband sisters took Azusa, and ran across the mall and out of plain sight. I wonder if having a yellow headband on your head automatically makes you a leader with an IQ of a chimpanzee.

_Mio: Wait! Stop! What about the...!_

_...meeting?  
_

_Kyon: Uggg...***FACE-PALMS* **Why did I offer that suggestion?)_

* * *

So now with the leadership of the group possibly increased, we all decided to check out the music store that Mugi-chan's family owned. The first time I came here, I didn't see anything of interest. The whole place was just filled with DVDs, Drama CD, and soundtracks being sold on display. There were a couple of instruments, but they were only display models. At first glance, it didn't look anything like a music store.

"Are we sure we're in the right place?" I asked. "I didn't see a lot instruments the last time Koizumi and I was here."

Mugi-chan then looked at me with a confused look. "Huh? You didn't?"

"No, I didn't. Did we miss something?"

"Didn't you check the bottom level?"

"Bottom level?"

"Yeah!" Mugi-chan smiled, then pointed to the back of the store, where there were people entering a escalator that was going down. "That escalator goes down to the music store owned by my family."

_...The hell?_

"Oh! So that's where it leads to." Koizumi said, bringing out his stupid grin. "I though at first that it lead to the public restrooms."

_Liar! You're a damn liar! What kind of mall has restrooms besides the ones in the food court!? I'm betting you lied just to piss me off!_

Mugi-chan directed us to the escalator, and as I walking, I felt like something was tugging one of my sleeves. I would usually assume immediately it was Miss Asahina, being that she was only one shy enough to tug my shirt soft enough like that, but she was right in front of me, talking with the infant guitarist, Yui.

"You see, when I was in grade school, my parents took me and my younger sister, Ui, to this spring festival, and at one of the booths, I won this _really cute_ doll! If we ever go to my house, I'll show it to you!"

"Oh, thank you! I'd love that!"

So with the ulterior angel eliminated, I gave up, and turned my head towards the direction of the pulled angle of my shirt, and came across another angelic face.

Mio.

"I didn't want to say this when Haruhi was around," She said to me. "but your brigade sounds pretty interesting."

_D-Did I just hear her right? Did someone just call the S.O.S Brigade 'interesting'? I must have been in one too many closed spaces. My head must be getting jacked up._

_...Ahh. I get it now. Miss Akiyama saw me, the straight-man, bear an embarrassing look as his brigade leader introduce her group as if we were all about to conduct an impossible chemistry experiment, and now, she's trying to comfort me. Yeah, that's probably it._

"It's okay. You don't have to be nice to me. You can say it. We're a pretty weird group, right?"

"N-no, that's not it!" Mio insisted as we entered the downward escalator. "I was really speaking truthfully. Besides, I can't speak for our group. We're not exactly a normal band."

_Oh yeah? Ever fought against a 50-ton Camel Cricket? _I know that may not be the most accurate weight measurement, but that thing was huge as hell, so I'm estimating there.

"By abnormal, you mean...?"

"You probably know already, don't you?"

"...Yeah. You have a point," _Not that I have enough information to deem it_ _so._"but you have to admit, that's what makes you guys unique."

"U-unique?"

"Yeah. All different types of bands have their own style to their music, and it tends to reflect on their personalities. What we see as normal may be seen as supernatural to somebody else, but that doesn't mean you should change your style just to please them. Just do what you like, and maybe others will like it has well."

_...Woah...okay. I just turned into Haruhi there for a moment. What the hell is going on in my head?! My brain cells are turning into mush!_

"...So you're saying that...***BLUSH*** that I'm...unique?"**  
**

"...Huh?"

The both of us were the last to jump of the escalator, and I just stood there, with me watching Mio's face turning bright red. I didn't know how she manage to come to that conclusion, and frankly, I don't want to know. All I knew was that I needed to say something in order to break off the weird silence before she got the wrong idea.

"W-well," I manage to muster as I turn my head away. "E-everyone is unique in some way! I mean, if everyone was the same, it'd be a pretty pale world, right? B-besides, even though we haven't known each other for a while, I can tell that you're...

a-a-a special kind of 'unique', Miss Akiyama."

_OH GOD DAMMIT! Nice job, pal! You've now made her turn magenta! Why can't I ever say the right thing in these types of situations?!_

Ritsu Tainaka

OH! So that's what happened! You took _real good care_ of Mio for me, didn't you?

Kyon

Hey! Back off! I'm the narrator right now, and besides, you're not even in this part of the story!

Ritsu Tainaka

Sorry there! Couldn't help but listen to this wonderful part of you and Mio's love life there!

Kyon

Why, you son of a...!

Ritsu Tainaka

Opps! Lunch Break! Gotta go! See ya! ***EXITS***

Kyon

GRRR! I swear one day...

Anyway...on with the story.

Her face now looked like it was about to catch on fire, but then, in what look like she was about to faint in shock, she giggled, and flicked her hair back.

"Heh...now you need to stop being so nice. You can call me Mio, if you want."

I turned my head back to see her eyes sparkling with either confidence, or embarrassment, and looking into those beautiful eyes, I wondered if she and Miss Asahina were related in some way.

***GIGGLING***

The sound of giggling filled my ears, so Mio and I turned our heads to find all the girls piled up in one big group designed for the sole purpose of baseless gossip, with the approving male editor at their side.

"It seems the girls have painted a rather pleasant picture of you two." Koizumi said. I desperately wanted to yell 'Shut the hell up!' in his face.

Mugi-chan stared at us with a erotic face for a minute, then look surprised. "OH! Is this what they call 'love at first sight'!?"

...

Now it was my turn to turn magenta.

***RING RING***

As if I had received a fortune from god, my cell phone rang just in time to break up yet another flaky silence, and so I quickly took out my cell phone.

_Caller ID: Haruhi Suzumiya_

Well, it was some sort of fortune from God.

"Oh. It's Haruhi." I said to the other. "Uhh...Why don't you guys go check out the store? I'll answer."

"Yeah. That's a good idea." Mio quickly said, then turn straight towards the entrance.

"Hey! Mio-chan! Wait up!" Yui yelled out, following her with the rest of the group.

_Oh boy. That was TOO awkward!_ Letting out a deep sigh, I answered the call.

"Okay! First off, you just don't leave your brigade to fend for themselves while you and your new rival-"

_"Yeah! __Yeah! __Yeah! That's not important right now! Where are you guys!?"_

_She doesn't even care._

"We're at the music store Mugi-chan's family owns."

_"Oh great! You guys are already there! Okay listen! You, Yuki, Mikuru, Koizumi, and Miss Tsuruya need to pick out an instrument we're going to use in the competition!"_

"W-what? Why!?"

_"Well, I kinda realized it a while ago. Ritsu's band can't play every song we're going to play at the festival. That's asking too much."_

"You know what else is asking too much? Making people who have no experience in playing musical instruments try to use them in a month!"

_"Yeah, and?"_

I was about to say something, but I decided to give up. It was pointless to try to win an argument against Haruhi. If she ever became a lawyer, the court would be at her mercy.

"...Alright, but what instruments do we choose?"

_"A guitar, Bass, Drums, or Keyboard! We have to make sure everyone gets to be onstage at least once...oh! But make sure Mikuru picks the tambourine! Nothing's more cuter than a pretty, busty girl shaking her thing onstage!"_

_You sound like a pervert._

"...Wait! How exactly are we going to pay for-"

_"Hey, Haruhi! Azusa! We're here!" _Another voice spoke on the other end, which i had deemed to be Ritsus. _"Let's get this thing started with an all endurance test of 'Who can eat the most Packed Ramen Cups'!"_

_"Hah! Prepare to get stomped!-Oh sorry Kyon! Gotta go! Competition's gonna get wild! Good luck with the negotiations!"_

"Wait! I-"

***BEEP BEEP***

With that, we were now left the absurd task of retrieving our own instruments, and the magical task of somehow learning how to play them. Oh, yeah. It was going to be a _blast_.

_..'Negotiations', huh?_

That meant that we would somehow have to get the store clerks to give us the instruments for free. That would be something only blackmail, and bribery could accomplish. Something more in Haruhi's field, but no way was I about to resort to her level.

Anyway, if the negotiations did fail, I wondered at the time whose wallet is going to be emptied for this because it certainly wasn't going to be mine!

* * *

_**Please Review!**_


	8. Ch 7: Two-Sided Luck

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 7: Two-Sided Luck.

* * *

(July 28; 12:27 pm, 10GIA Music Store, Lower Level. 32 days until festival performance.)

Tsumugi Kotobuki

"Wow!" Tsuruya-san said. "Everything's so similar, it's scary! OH! That counter is where I tried out that Ucayali! ***POINTS FINGER*** OH! Hey, Mugi-chan! Isn't that spot where you bought your electric keyboard?!"

"Electric keyboard?" Mio-chan asked.

"Ah, yes." I answered. "Right before I entered Sakuragaoka, I begged my parents to buy me an electric keyboard so I could play in a club in high school, and they bought me one. It a 'Korg Triton Extreme 76 Key', the keyboard I use in the clubroom."

"Wow." Yui said, amazed. "You're really lucky, Mugi-chan."

We had entered the music store my family owned, and I too was filled with nostalgia. The last I had been here was to help Yui receive the guitar she got last year. It was unsettling though. Even though I manage to see Yui's happy face when we did succeed, I felt bad that I had to use the fact that my dad was the President of the company that owned this store to get the guitar.

Still though, I did get to use Ritsu's method of price bargaining, and it was quite enjoyable!

"Hey guys!" A voice called out from behind, went which I turned around, turned out to be Kyon-kuns'.

"Oh, you're back." Koizumi-kun said. "What did Miss Suzumiya want?"

"Well...I really don't want to say this...but Haruhi wants everyone that doesn't have an instrument to pick one out of this store."

_W-wait! What did he just say!?_

"Wh-what!? That selfish-!" Mio had spoken, but halted herself to say anything fowl-mouthing. "She's asking way too much!"

"That's what I said, but of course, she didn't listen."

"W-well." Koizumi said, looking unsettled. "Did Miss Suzumiya say how we would purchase these instruments?"

"She hung up before I could ask that. She also said something about 'negotiations'."

_Negotiations...Uh oh. I hope she doesn't mean-_

"OH! I've got an idea!" Yui shouted, then turned towards me. "Mugi-chan! Do you think you could talk with the store clerk like you did last year?"

"Wh-wh-N-No! I couldn't! Mio's right! That's asking for so much! I don't think I alone can persuade them."

"Well, I don't want to ask you this either, Mugi-chan, but we don't exactly have much of a choice." Kyon said.

"...Well, yes..."

I don't know why, but I felt pressure on my shoulder. The faith of our chances of winning this competition rested on each of us, and it was my turn to move us forward. I didn't want to upset the employers...

but I couldn't let my old and new friends down either!

"This is ridiculous!" Mio yelled out. "She doesn't have the right to decided this! ***PULLS OUR CELLPHONE* **I'm gonna call Ritsu's cell and give Haruhi a piece of my-"

"I'LL DO IT!"

Everyone stared at me as my fist was raised up in the air. My determination was skyrocketing, and I wanted it to land upon the stars!

"Give me a couple of minutes, guys!"

I turned, and began walking straight towards the counter, hearing Miss Tsuruya's cheering voice. "Yeah! You go, Mugi-chan! Show that clerk who's boss!" My pace remained unchanged until I reached the counter. The good sir there looked like the one I had spoken to last year for Yui's guitar, so I knew he would recognize me. Taking in a deep breath, I prepare myself.

"Excuse me, good sir!"

The clerk, whose body was facing the other way, turned towards me, and his face immediately changed to a abrupt state. "OH! Miss Kotobuki! It's a pleasure to see you again!"

"Ah, yes! The same to you, good sir. Umm...you see, I need to ask a big favor of you."

"Of course! We're always in your fathers debt! Speak your mind! What do you need?"

_Okay. Relax. Remember Tsumugi! This is for the faith of competition!_

"Uhh...well, you see...I'm competing in a huge competition with a group of my friends, and well...I-I need to borrow five instruments from you so that we have even number of players in our band! ***BOWS*** We'll bring them back by the end of the month! I swear!"

Silence befell the atmosphere I was in. When I looked up, the clerk had a concerned look on his face.

"Oh...Five instruments, huh?" He said as he crossed his arms. "Hmmm...well, I know it's for _you_, Miss Kotobuki, but that _is _asking for quite a lot."

"I know. I was thinking too selfishly. ***CLAPS HANDS IN FRONT OF FACE*** I'm so sorry! Please forget everything I sai-"

"Hey, Mugi-chan!"

My head suddenly had an arm extending around the back of my neck, reveling Miss Tsuruya standing over my shoulder.

"Sorry for surprising you! I couldn't help but come and cheer for you from the front lines! So whats going on? You givin' the clerk a run for his money?"

"M-m-m-m-m-!"

When I looked back at the store clerk, his face had turned completely purple as he stared at the person over my shoulder.

"M-m-m-mi-miss T-Tsuruya!"

"Oh! Hey there! Hope Mugi-chan isn't causing you too much trouble!"

* * *

(July 28; 2:01 pm, Ritsu's House, Living Room. 32 days until festival performance.)

Azusa Nakano

"Okay, Haruhi-senpai. Lay your head down on the ice."

"Uggg...damn it...that girl sure knows her way around a pillow..."

The competitions had finally stopped, and the aftereffect of the battle had begun to settle. I was just thankful that Ritsu-senpai's relatives weren't home. The house was almost in shambles, but not so much as the house was going to collpase on itself. It was more like Haruhi-senpai, and Ritsu-senpai went to an all-night college party that lasted for two hours.

All the craziness,

***SOUND OF HURLING***

more the outcome. Apparently, Ritsu-senpai just discovered that raw teriyaki steak doesn't go well with Shichimi. In cause you're wondering, the both of them boycotted the 'Who can eat the most Packed Ramen Cups'! competition when they discovered that Ritsu's mom didn't buy any ramen cups. So they decided to compete in who could make the better Teriyaki steak, and ate each others for quality, then the both of them attempted to down a whole bottle of Shichimi spice mixture.

That gave them a...less than pleasant experience with the both of them trying to eat as much shaved ice as possible afterwards.

Truth be told, all those contest were really just to see who had the stronger stomach.

Finally, they tried to best each other in an all-out pillow fight, with the final blow hitting Ritsu-senpai _hard_ right in the stomach, causing her to throw up on the spot. However, Haruhi-senapi backed away to fast, and hit the back of her head, causing a framed picture of Ritsu-senpai's family to fall on her forehead. _HARD._

In basic summary, they both were in pretty bad shape.

"Ritsu-senpai!" I yelled out to the bathroom in the hallway. "Are you okay? Do you need some anesthetic?"

***DOOR OPENS***

"No...no I'm fine, Azusa..." Ritsu-senapi announced as she rounded the corner, carrying a small trash bin with her. "A proper leader wouldn't let something as small as food poisoning get to-

UGGH!"

***HURLS IN TRASH BIN***

"Ristu-senpai!"

"No! No! I'm f-Ugg-fine..."

"A proper leader also has strong stomachs." Haruhi-senapi groaned, holding the ice pack I gave to her on her head. "Therefore, I win."

"N-no! Leaders have harder heads too! A.K.A: me! So that makes me leader, little miss humpty-dumpty!"

"GRRR! You know what!? ***STANDS UP*** I'm game with just skipping these lame competitions and going right to the 'See who can withstand the most fists to the face' contest!"

"Oh yeah!? Bring it! My fists are ready to-"

"I'll make your face so unnoticeable, it'll-"

Neither senapi finish, as the both of them made a painful expression, and fell on their backs.

Once again, _hard_.

"OH! MY HEAD!"

"OH! MY STOMACH!"

_Oh, the agony. _

***DING DONG***

The doorbell ring almost caught me by surprise. I didn't expect the others to be back so soon, especially with Haruhi-senapi's impossible demand.

Even so...

"Uhh! Y-you two wait here, okay? And please, don't try to kill each other."

I needed help! No, I was desperate for it!

***OPENS DOOR***

"Hey ho, Azu-nyan!"

"We managed to get our instruments, nyoron~!"

All the other senpais were right in front of me, with all the North High senpais carrying instrument bags on their backs (with the exception of Mikuru-senapi holding a tambourine), and some holding electrical amps in their arms.

...***SNIFF*** "S-senpai!"

My body moved on it's own as I lunged towards Yui-senpai, tears filling up in my eyes, and I couldn't believe what I was doing too.

"Senapi! It's been utter madness! I missed you so much!"

I looked like such an idiot.

"AWWW! ***HUGS*** I missed you too, Azu-nyan!"

"***SNIFF*** That not what I meant, Yui-senapi..."


	9. Ch 8: Leaders Think Alike

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 8: Leaders Think Alike

* * *

(July 28; 8:22 pm, Ritsu's House, Ritsu's Room. 32 days until festival performance.)

Haruhi Suzumiya

_(Haruhi: Okay! You all have your assignments, so now, make use of tonight and practice like no tomorrow! We'll all meet up at Kyon's house at 10:00 sharp Oh, and make sure you guys come wearing your school uniforms!_

_Azusa: Uh, why do we have to do that?_

_Haruhi: Relax! I'll explain all the details tomorrow!_

_Yui: Oh, Haru-nyan Ma'am! What about Ricchan?_

_Haruhi: Don't worry! I'm sort of all fault about what happened to her, so I will personally oversee her all night tonight!_

_Kyon: What do you mean by 'sort of'? _

_Haruhi: You know what I mean! Alright, that's all for today! Practice your instruments with full force, and remember! Be tardy, get punished! D__ismissed!__  
_

_Mio: Um...what does she by 'get punished'?_

_Kyon: Trust me. You don't want to know.) _

* * *

I had instructed all the members to prepare their instruments for our future training while I tended to Ritsu's illness. Mio already told me were all the medical supplies were in her house, and I looked online how to deal with bad stomachs. I grabbed all the anti-diarrhea medicine I could find, took a clear soft drink called "RamunÃ©" from the fridge, and headed to Ritsu's room. I just had to make sure that she didn't eat anything solid, have her drink a little bit of liquid from time to time, and let she remove all the 'substance' from her body. Simple! I don't know why doctors get so over-reactive over people getting bad stomachs. If you ask me, they could have a better use of their time!

***DOOR OPENS* **

I open the door to her room, where I found Ritsu silently breathing with her eyes closed. I guess was that she was sleeping, but I couldn't have that.

"Hey there! Wakey Wakey, sleepy head!" I announced. "It's time to take your medicine!"

She didn't respond right away, but she eventually turned her head towards me, and opened her eyes slightly. Her body was still under the covers, and was wearing the pijamas that Mio and Mugi-chan help put her in.

"Ugggh...please feed it to me!"

"***SIGH*** You're lucky you're sick, or else I would've forced you to do it yourself!"

With me sitting beside her bed, Ritsu put the pills I handed her in her mouth, and took a small sip of the soda I brought. After she wiped her mouth, she spoke again.

"So, what's the diagnostics, Doc?"

"It's _Haruhi_, and don't worry. You'll be fine. Koizumi told me that the food poisoning in your stomach wasn't anything serious. Your stomach just seems to be having a hard time digesting what we ate today. You just keep relaxing and let nature take its course, and you'll be better by tomorrow morning! Easy Peasy!"

"You're awfully cheery, you being the one who did this to me."

"Hey! We were in heated battle, and besides, you got me too on the head!"

"Didn't you hit your head on the wall when you tripped and fell?"

"SHUT UP!" I yelled in her face, then turned around in a fit of anger. I did _not_ like being reminded on my minor mistakes! It makes me feel like that those things could chagne my life for the worse. It's so freakin' unsettling!

Still...

"Hey." I said in a soft voice. "I'm...sorry that I got you sick. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"...Woah...Hey, it's okay. Don't feel bad about it. Nobody's perfect."

"Y-yeah, I know that, and trust me, I know that I'm not perfect. It's funny actually. I'm actually a better cook than my mom could be in a lifetime, and I always try to come up with new ways to make new recipes. I guess that this time, things didn't turn out so well. Maybe I cook the steak too long or too short, or maybe the seasonings were wrong, but at the time, I didn't care about any of that. My only thought...was to beat you. To make you kiss the ground I walked on. I ready wanted to show that no others could raise above me, so I tried my best to best you. However because of that, you got injured.

So yeah...I'm sorry."

My head was lowered, as a eerie silence raised above me.

_I...I can't believe I said that. _

_...W-what's wrong with me? _

"...h-he he he.

YA HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OH, little Haruhi has a heart after all! I'm so touched I may just cry tears of sadness! HAHAHAHA!"

"OH, you little bastard! Want to go another round!?"

"Oh ho ho! Change of heart, already? You're blushing, you know!"

"I-I-IDIOT! I AM NOT! It's just too hot in here!"

"Yeah, whatever. Heh, heh, heh. I'm no position to go back into action yet..." She stopped for a moment, looking almost palish.

"...and you know, what you just said...well...let's just say you took the words right out of my mouth."

Now I fully turned around, and saw Ritsu's fully venerable face. We looked at each other for a moment, then she pulled her head up, looking at my forehead.

"W-what are you looking at?" I asked sternly.

"Hmm...hey, Haruhi. Could I see your headband for a moment?"

"Uh...sure."

I took off my yellow headband with yellow ribbons, and gave them to Ritsu, who then flipped the hair on my forehead over on the top of my head, and then put back my headband.

"Oh! Well, your forehead's not as big as mine, but it's still shiny!"

"W-what?! What the hell did you do to my head?!"

"Come on! You've got a big bang, so you should showcase it! You have to show those kinds of things of with PRIDE!"

"I'll take my chances." I said, moving my hair back in place.

"Neh. Suit yourself." She looked at me again with an deep looked, then smiled kindly.

"Hey. I know this is a bit sudden, but do you want us to be 'Co-Leaders?'"

"Huh?"

"You know! 'Co-Leaders'! You come to me when you have an idea. I come to you when I have an idea. That kind of thing. Besides, I don't want things to end up worse then they do now."

"Huh!? You must be crazy! There's no way I'm sharing the leadership!"

"Really? 'Cause I thought it would be nice! We'd make a great team! _'The Yellow-Headband Siblings Whose Names Shock The Gods Off Their Seats!'_"

"Heh, heh! I like that name. It gives off power!"

"I'm creative like that, just so you know. So what do you say?" She asked as she extended her hand. "'Co-Leaders'?"

"...

Heh."

What choice did I have? As my hand shock hers,

"'Co-Leaders'"

I knew this was going to be one interesting partnership.

"Anyway, I better get some sleep." Ritsu spoke, turning in her bed. "Oh, I left one of my pillows under that dresser over there. Do you think you can get for me?"

"Oh, sure."

I turned towards the dresser on the opposite side of the door, and crouched beside it. I extended my arm, reaching underneath, and I didn't feel anything that would resembled a pillow. I eventually touched something, but it was hard and...it had hard corners. Intrigued, I pulled out the object, and it turned out to be some sort of box.

_Prank Wars Inc.: Fake Vomit!_

_Freak out your friends with realistic projectile vomit!_

_W-Wha...!?_

"RITSU! What the HELL is **THIS**!?"

"...H-h-h-h-h

HAHAHAHAHAHAH! I GOT YOU SO GOOD!" Ritsu's covers went flying, and Ritsu was standing proudly on her bed with the queen of smiles.

"Oh ho ho ho! First, I want to say that I had the best god dang steak I've ever had in my entire life! Thank you so much for treating me to lunch today! And second off, I was pulling of that 'OH, My stomach's gonna kill me!' act all afternoon, and none of you guys noticed! Oh man, I really should go into acting! And the best part about it was that the 'stone-cold leader of the S.O.S Brigade' reveled a secret side of her! She's even on the verge of tears! Oh, this is going in the record books! HAHAHAHAHA!

Feelings of pure embarrassment swelled up inside of me, which were quickly replaced by pure, white-hot anger as I crushed the box in my hands.

No one dupes me. _No one._

"You've got some nerve..._partner_."

"Haha...uh, hey, Haruhi. It was a joke, okay? You can stop clenching your fists-"

"YOU FREAKIN' JACKASS! HOW DARE YOU TRICK ME!"

***WACK!***

"OOOWWWW!"

* * *

**Author's Note**:Sorry this chapter is a bit short, but I'm trying to catch up with 'Alex McM' Haruhi/K-ON! Crossover in this competition of ours. I promise the next chapter will be longer!

**_Please Review!_**


	10. Ch 9: Five More Minutes

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 9: Five More Minutes

* * *

(July 29; 9:15 am, Kyon's House, Kyon's Room. 31 days until festival performance.)

Kyon

It's said that the dreams take you experience at night are actually representations of your former life. It's also said (somehow) that reality itself is one big dream. Personally, I find both of those two theories a load of crap. Dreams are merely images that our brains create using our emotions and behaviors in life, putting them into sideshows that play in our brain. Most of them seem heavenly, but no matter how much we love staying in dreamland, we're always going to wake up eventually. That's kind of a metaphor of my current life.

A blissful, yet head-bursting dream, and now, I had five more figures to weigh on my shoulders. Yay.

I had attempted to accomplish to be new best friends with my new instrument, a "Schecter Guitar Research Stargazer-4 Electric Bass Guitar, Black Model", and I practically spent the whole night trying to get my fingers to cooperate with the bloody thing. I pretty much got the basics, but the end result was as I predicted.

I suck, period.

I applauded Mio for being such a prodigy with this sort of thing because I didn't know jack squat about musical instruments. The thought that I would be able to master this thing by the time the festival came was grief striking to me because I knew what would happen if I didn't. Even still, I pretty much gave up last night, and went to bed.

Like I said, I pretty much spent all night trying to play that thing, so I didn't sleep a lot. It seems to have become a usual thing for me, and I hated that.

***BEEP BEEP ****BEEP ****BEEP ****BEEP ****BEEP ****BEEP ***

The sound of my annoying alarm clock rang through my ears early in the morning, making me think I should buy another one that wasn't as noisy as this one. I desperately crawled on my bed to where the clock was, and shut it off before it could bother me any further.

"Damnit...just five more minutes..."

You know when people say "Five more minutes", they almost never mean that. It's basically their way of saying "Go away! I'm trying to sleep!" That's what I was telling the clock. I was the one calling the shots on whether or not I can fall back asleep.

***DOOR OPENS***

Under my covers, the sound of the door to my room opening caught my attention for about 2 seconds, followed by the sound of tip-toeing. I dismissed it though, considering the following possibilities. It could've have been:

A.) Shamisen the cat, ready to try to steal my blanket for his own use.

B.) My little sister, ready to pull me out of bed by dragging me to the floor.

But little did I know there was a third option.

"AIRBORNE ATTACK!"

"GGAAAHHHH!"

***THUD***

C.) One of the Sakuragaoka band girls, ready to wake me up by launching themselves on to me. 

Now my back was to the floor, with my face staring up to what would have been the ceiling. However, someones face blocked my view.

"Morning, Sleepy Head!"

One who could make Haruhi look like a proper adult.

"Yui, would you mind getting off me?"

"Oh! Sorry about that!"

Yui backed off to the side, allowing me to sit up and get a good view of her. She was wearing a navy blue blazer, solid white buttoned shirt (under blazer), a aqua blue ribbon, a light steel blue skirt, black stockings, and maroon shoes. I asked if what she was wearing was her school uniform.

"Yeah, it is! I picked these stocking myself, and I think this uniform really goes well with these two pins on my hair, don't you think?"

"Well, you are a girl. So I guess accessorizing with those kinds of things do make you-

Wait! I'm getting off topic! How'd you get inside my house?!"

"Oh that! Your little sister let us in! She's super adorable, by the way!"

_Believe me, once you get to know her, you'll see her in a whole other light._

"Wait. 'Us'? Did you come here with someone else-?"

"Big Sis!" A voice came from downstairs. "Breakfast is ready! Hurry, and wake him up before it gets cold!"

"Okay, Ui! Kyon-kun! Let's hurry up! Ui's meals are the best!" She said to me, then ran out of my door.

"Okayyyy..."

I didn't know what was going on at first, but at least I was saved the trouble of making breakfast.

I scratched my stomach as I exited my room, and went down the stairs. As I neared the bottom, the smell of fresh rice and soy bean sauce filled my nose. It felt like I was going inside a fancy restaurant when my parents take me and my sister for the holidays. Whoever was cooking was doing a damn good job.

I made my way inside the living room, and my first glance was my little sister, sitting on the floor with her eyes on the TV, watching a local baseball game. On the table she was in front of, several plates and a bowl. I guess was that she had finished eating.

"Oh! You're awake!"

My head turned to my right, I now came across another girl who was almost in the exact same uniform as Yui. The only differences was that she was wearing not black stockings, but knee-high socks, and her ribbon was reddish, not aqua blue.

"It's very nice to meet you." The girl said, bowing in respect towards me. "My name is Ui Hirasawa. I'm Yui's younger sister. I hope you don't mind me using your kitchen."

"Ah, no! It's no trouble! I just woke up, so I don't really have the energy to lift a pot or pan."

"Ah, ha ha! Don't worry! I already have everything set up! You can eat now if you want."

She didn't even have to point out where the food was. The flavorful smell lead me to the diving table, where a delicious array of dishes presented themselves to me. Fresh Steamed Rice, Bean-paste filled Taiyaki, Miso Soap, Broiled Fish, and Tamagoyaki! All mine for the taking!

"Don't need to ask me again! ***SITS DOWN AND CLAPS HANDS TOGETHER***

Itadakimasu! (頂きます = I receive this!)"

* * *

It was. Without a doubt. The best damn meal I had ever sat down to. Without question. And this was breakfast too! You couldn't fake this sort of thing. It's impossible, and to think that Yui gets to eat stuff like this every day.

_("Ui's meals are the best!")_

Yui was defiantly for her word.

"I hope it was to your liking." Ui said to me while she was cleaning the dishes.

"Oh, trust me. It was to my liking! Where did you learn to cook like that?"

"It was mostly hands-on experience. My parents are usually out of the house with work or vacation, and Big Sis isn't one to, well...take care of herself properly."

"Whoa. You must have it tough."

"No, not really. I love caring for Big Sis! Yes, she may not act completely like she should for her age. In fact, before she entered High School, she was always desperately dependent on me."

_My God. Yui's the perfect example of a juvenile. _

"However, ever since she join the light music club at school, she's been becoming more determined and focused than I've ever seen. My guess is that she's doing this so that she can to prove that she can be able to accomplish things herself. That's why I'm happy to help Big Sis with whatever she needs!"

"...Wow."

Okay people! Listen up! This! _This_ right here is the perfect example of a adept little sister! Someone who's completely obedient and respectful toward his older siblings and is always there to offer a helping hand. Compared to my younger sister...

_("Come on, Kyon! Let me go with you guys! I wanna go! I WANNA!")_

_...maybe I should ask Yui if I can trade sisters with her. She and my younger sister would become great playmates._

"Speaking of which," I spoke up. "Why are you here anyway? I thought only one Hirasawa would come here today."

"Oh, that. Well, you see, Big Sis asked me how she would be able to arrive at the address you gave her yesterday, and I thought it would be best to come with her to make sure the address was correct."

_No, that's not it. You went with her just to make sure that she didn't get lost a quarter of the way through. _

"UI! UI! You have to see this!" Yui's voice roared through the hall as she came rocketing to the living room, coming to a hall right in front of Ui as she cuddled Shamisen in her arms.

"This cat is SO adorable! She's so fluffy and soft! I just have to show her to Azu-nyan!"

_Well, _the cat's a_ he, not a she_.

"Big Sis! You shouldn't pry on other people's belongings! Put him down, please!"

"Ehhh...okayyyy." ***RELEASES CAT ONTO FLOOR***

_You know what? Yui can keep her. She'll need her more than I'd want her in a lifetime._

_...Wait. 'Azu-nyan'? Is she talking about Azusa? I'm afraid that if I pry into this, I'm not going to like what I find out.  
_

***DING DONG***

The doorbell's ring played once though the house, meaning that someone is at the door.

"Don't worry, guys." I said as I got up from the table. "I'll get it."

I made my way into the hallway, wondering who could be at the door. As I finally came to the door, I opened it, and came across a familiar, quiet face.

"..."

_Silent as ever, Nagato._

"Hey there." I greeted her. "Hope there wasn't any trouble getting here."

"There was not." She said in her usual dispassionate voice. As I witness her usual attire, a.k.a her school uniform, she was holding something that caught my eye.

"Umm, Nagato. What's with the sleeping bag?"

"I was informed by Haruhi Suzumiya yesterday to make all the necessary preparations needed for the sleep-over tonight."

"S-sleepover? I wasn't told about any kind of sleepover!"

"Because the event would transpire at your home, she felt it was unnecessary to inform you."

_Great. Once again, I'm the village idiot in her eyes.  
_

"Swell. Well, come on in, Nagato." I told her, moving out of the way for her to gain entry. She nodded slightly, then walked inside.

"Hey, Nagato." I spoke up again. "Could you tell the others that I'm going upstairs to get ready?"

"...I will." She answered, looking back at me.

"Thanks."

She nodded again, then turned her head, and continued walking towards the living room. As I walked up the stairs, I pulled out my cellphone, which I had picked up when I left my room. There was someone I now needed to call.

***RING-RING***

"_Hello? Itsuki Koizumi speaking."_

"Hey, Koizumi. It's me. Listen, you know about the sleepover, right?"

"_Ah, yes. Miss Suzumiya had sent me a text message last night, informing us that we would conduct a sleepover today, and to bring all the proper necessities, such as sleeping gear, swim suits, snacks, etc. It looks like you really didn't know about it, didn't you?_"

_Ah, so you knew as well, and you didn't think to tell me, you rat bastard. _

"Anyway, I don't have much stuff for the sleepover, and I was wondering-"

"_Don't worry about it. Miss Kotobuki and I are already on our way to the supermarket to pick up some supplies._"

"Oh yeah. You went with Mugi-chan to her house for some tips on how to learn the piano, right."

"_Yes, that's true, and I must say, she is one excellent teacher. A piano prodigy, if you will, but in accordance with the second part of your last statement, it's more like her estate. Her house was quite large, and very deluxe. I must admit, Miss Kotobuki's family has quite the penny to_ _spend_."

_Am I suppose to be jealous, or something?_

In the end, I told Koizumi all the things we needed, and hung up. I'll admit, I didn't like at first the idea that so many people would be here all at one in my house when Haruhi told us last night about our meeting place, and now, they were going to be here for a full 24 hours. Neighbors, get your earmuffs ready.

I gathered my school uniform where it was lying on floor of my room, and went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. As I was in there, the door bell rang again. That meant that some else had arrived.

I fixed my tie as I walked down the stairs, but keep it as it usual was, seeing no reason to change it. I had gone for a year and three months without someone bugging me to fix my tie, and I didn't need someone telling me now.

I walked back into the living room, and saw the newest members to the current group, Miss Asahina and Miss Tsuruya, had arrived. Now we only needed six more people, but you know what they say: two's company, three's a crowd, and twelve is a wild New Years party at my uncles house.

"Oh, hello Kyon!" Miss Asahina greeted me with the smile of all smiles. "I hope that we're not intruding on anything important right now."

_Oh, Miss Asahina! You're always welcome in my house! Consider it a second home for you!_

* * *

_**Please Review**_


	11. Ch 10: Strange Beginnings

Let's Rock this Rocket Ship!

Chapter 10: Strange Beginnings

* * *

(July 29; 9:29 am, Train Station, Platform B. 31 days until festival performance.)

Ritsu Tainaka

I was scared out of my wits. Really! The whole time Haruhi and I were on the train, she had this wicked look on her face that wouldn't go away, and I knew why.

_(Don't think you're getting any special treatment from me! I don't care how many times Mio whacked you on the head. Today, for your incompetence, you'll be receiving an extra special punishment from yours truly! Prepare for pain!)_

I hugged one of the four drum container I had on the wagon that I rented to carry my drum set, and the sleeping supplies that Haruhi and I had until my hands started trembling. I already started regretting pulling off that 'Fake Vomiting' trick. Mio's scary enough when she gets mad at me after I scare her. Who knows what sort of evil Haruhi was going to pull out of her sleeve?

"We're here!" Haruhi said brightly to me. The train soon came to a full stop at one of the stations. The train doors soon opened, and Haruhi went dashing forward outside, with me pulling the wagon.

"Alright! We're nearing our destination, and you what that means!?"

"No…"

"Hee, hee. ***TURNS AROUND* **It's punishment time!"

"Ggghhhhh…"

"First off," She said while digging into her bag. She then pulled a pair of blue and white sports clothing. "Put on this track suit!"

"You mean…out here? In public?"

"No, of course not! Just put in on over your uniform!"

I didn't think that I could fit into that thing with my school uniform on, but I didn't have much of a choice. It wasn't as tight of a fit as I thought, and I manage to slip right into the suit.

_Whoa! Didn't realize I was so thin! Mio and Mugi are going to be SO jealous!  
_

"Alright! Now!" Haruhi continued, then pointed her finger straight towards the ground. "Stand on your hands!"

"...Repeat, please."

"You heard me! Stand. On. Your. Hands!"

Now this is where things were getting crazy, and I figured out now why Haruhi made me put on the track suit. Wouldn't want some creep stealing any of my treasure for free now, would we?

With a deep breath, my body made a complete 180 degrees "HUP!", and my face was staring at the concrete floor.

"Whoa! Whoa!...Hey this is kinda cool! I look like an acrobat!"

"Oh, trust me!" Haruhi spoke devilishly from above. "This is just the beginning of this ride."

The next few things I heard next was some rumbling coming from behind me, then feet presented themselves before me, followed by the most evil snickering I've ever heard.

"_Hee, hee, hee._ Just remember, Ritsu. This is what you get for trying to trying to embarrass your lord and master!"

_"But you're neither!" _I wanted to say, but what came next made forget my next sentence completely.

***BUMP***

_Augh! What is T-that?! My body! P-pain!_

My whole body was now engulfed with white-hot distress. It felt like the whole world was weighing itself on my feet, pressing down roughly enough to split myself in half. Gravity was pulling me down, as Azusa recently said,

_**HARD!**_

"W-what did Y-OU put on my f-eettt?!"

"Two of your drum kits. Quite effective, don't you think?"

"MY FEET FEEL LIKE JELLY!"

"I'll take that as a yes, then." I then heard duck tape being ripped from a roll, and as something was being tied to my feet, Haruhi kept talking. "I bet you're wondering why this punishment is a little more extreme than you're use to?"

"YEAH! Kinda!"

"Well, that's exactly what I'm trying to show here. As your punishment, you're to walk on your hands with two drum kits on your feet all the way to Kyon's house, and if you fall, get back up and continue! No breaks!"

"OH GIMME A BREAK! Are you crazy or something!?"

"What? I duck taped the drums to your feet so they won't fall, and we already stopped at my house. If you think about it, I'm actually being ready nice to you."

_This is your definition of nice?! _

"Come on now!" Haruhi cheered loudly while pointing towards the exit. "We've people waiting for us, and if you somehow survive this punishment, I may give you something in return! 'If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub' they say!"

_You're more like a saber-tooth mammoth! _

* * *

(July 29; 9:30 am, "Seiyu Group" Supermarket. 31 days until festival performance.)

Itsuki Koizumi 

"_Alright. I understand. I'll get the information from the research branch as soon as I can._"

"Thank you. I'll await your results."

***BEEP***

Miss Kotobuki and I were on our way to a local supermarket in order to purchase supplies for the sleepover that would take place at Kyon's homestead. We were been driven by the butler that was contracted by the Kotobuki household, who if I may add had a striking resemblance to Mr. Arakawa. We had already stopped at my house for my uniform and supplies, and were now nearing our destination rather quickly. As we were engulfed in conversation, Miss Kotobuki had fallen asleep, humming quietly in short breaths. As such, I had used this opportunity to make a quick call.

I needed to inform the organization about the events that had transpired, and something else that caught my attention.

As I inserted my cell phone back into my pocket, I looked back at Miss Kotobuki's sleeping face, and keep thinking to myself. The sudden arrival of these five girls could not be, by any chance, a mere coincidence. Yet, it puzzled me to as how this could not be such that. Their purpose to be involved with Miss Suzumiya struck me with mass curiosity.

_This will be a rather _interesting _puzzle to solve. I will have to ask Kyon for his opinion._

"Sir. We have arrived."

My train of thought was interrupted by the butler. It seemed that had had arrived our destination.

_Well, I'll pry on this matter later. _

"Miss Kotobuki." I spoke as I shook her awake. "We've arrived at the supermarket."

"Uhhhh...K-Koizumi-kun." She responded while rubbing her eyes. "I'm sorry. I fell asleep while we were talking."

"Don't worry. It's no trouble. I had some business to take care of anyway, so the matter really isn't important."

"Oh...That's-

Huh!? OH! We're here!" She exclaimed as her face nearly rear-ended the passenger window. "So THIS is what a grocery store looks like! It's bigger than what I expected too!"

"Have you never been to a supermarket before, Miss Kotobuki?"

"No! Never! I've always had my needs delivered to me, so this is the first time I'll be buying something for myself in such a public place! It's such a rare opportunity for me!" She then opened the door, and coursed herself out of the vehicle. "Come on, Koizumi-kun! You'll help me work our way around the store, right?"

"I'd be honored to help you with such a important task for you, Miss Kotobuki." I said as I myself exited the limo. "Shall we get going then?"

"Yes! Absolutely!"

"Shall you require my assistance, Master Koizumi, and Miss Kotobuki?" The butler asked from the drivers seat.

"Oh, no thank you." I assured him. "We shall buy the necessities we need ourselves, but thank you for your concern."

"Very well. I shall await your return, then.

We thanked the butler, and proceeded towards the supermarket. This store was in assents one of the most popular store to find in Japan. Their wide variety of goods and products had set them with a promising path to producing international sales.

"Wow! This place is amazing! It's so organized and clean, and I can smell fresh baked goods from the bakery!"

"You're very enthusiastic about this, Miss Kotobuki."

"Of course! I'm too excited to stand still! ***RUNS TOWARDS SHOPPING CARTS*** Oh! These are shopping carts, right!? What a great means for transferring groceries across the store!"

_She's so aroused by this place. She certainly has great resemblance to Miss Tsuruya. _

"Koizumi-kun!" Miss Kotobuki shouted once again as she rounded the shopping cart in my direction. "Tell me! Do I look like a regular shopper to you?"

"Of course. I certainly wouldn't digress otherwise."

"Oh, thank you! You're very nice, Koizumi-kun."

"The pleasure is yours. Now shall we proceed then?"

"Oh yes! I'm anxious to see what they have here! Let's go!"

* * *

(July 29; 9:50 am, Kyon's House, Front Portch. 31 days until festival performance.)

Mio Akiyama 

"Ugghh. That Ritsu-senpai. Was she always like this, Mio-senpai?"

"As far as I know. She's been the class clown in every single class that we've been in together since grade school. What I'm really worried about though is Haruhi. She seems to have Mugi-chan's energy and Ritsu's mischief combined into one."

"That's not a good combination. I'd be more afraid if there are hidden parts of the other members that we haven't seen yet. "

"Trust me, Azusa. If the S.O.S Brigade is as crazy as our club, there have to be some sane people in there."

"I really hope you're right, Mio-senpai."

Waking up early in the morning, I felt surprisingly more awake than I usually do in the mornings, even though I really didn't get a lot of sleep last night over extreme tension. I was thinking about something t-that was...rather discomforting last night, and on my walk with Azusa the next morning.

_(B-besides, even though we haven't known each other for a while, I can tell that you're..._

_a-a-a special kind of 'unique', Miss Akiyama.) _

_God! Why did he say something like that?! I know some people are bad with introductions, but you don't just falter a girl with embarrassing stuff like that! But if that was the case...  
_

_then why didn't I feel mad or upset when said that? _

_(OH! Is this what they call 'love at first sight'!?)  
_

_No! Of course not! Why would I think something like that would happen? We just meet yesterday! Besides, there's no such thing as 'love at first sight'! HA! It's so ridiculous, it's laughable! HA HA!  
_

_...It is laughable, right?  
_

"Mio-senapi?"

Azusa's voice snapped me back into reality, as I saw that we were now on Kyon's doorstep.

"Are you okay, Mio-senapi? You looked completely out of thought."

"O-oh. I'm fine, Azusa. I was just thinking about something that happened yesterday."

"Really? What happened?"

"Ah-w-w-elll...

***KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*** Hello!? Is anyone home?!"

"You're dropping the subject?"

***DOOR OPENS* **

"Oh! Hello! You're Mio-chan and Azu-nyan, right?" The person at the door asked. I didn't notice the person at first until I looked down, and I saw a small girl with a cute ponytail.

"Umm, excuse me, little one." Azusa said while she patted the girls head, bearing an annoyed look on her face. "First off, its "Azuza-chan" okay? Second off, yes we are those people. Is anyone else here?"

"***NODS HEAD*** Oh yeah! Last I saw, Kyon-kun and Mikuru-chan were fighting against Yui-chan."

"W-what?! Fighting?"

"Oh yeah! Yui-chan was doing something with Mikuru-chan and Kyon-kun jumped in, with Tsuruya-chan. They're still in the living room if you wnt to see."

We really didn't even reply. Azusa and I were already inside the house, and made a sharp left turn towards the living room. We were actually taking a chance, seeing that we didn't really know were the living room was at the time, and the strange thing was that there weren't any voices to follow. When we finally got to the living room, we saw a scene that was...not as crazy as the small girl had mentioned.

"Oh, hey Mio. Azusa...heh. You arrived a bit late."

Mikuru-senpai was quivering on the table on the center, Kyon was sitting on on the couch looking completely out of breath, Miss Tsuruya was facing face-first to the TV screen, rooting for one of the baseball team on the game "Yeah, come on guys! That ball is straight in the air! You can catch it!", and Yui?

Fully asleep on the ground with her butt in the air.

***SNORE SNORE***

_...I'm thinking I don't even want to know what happened._

* * *

**_PLEASE REVIEW!  
_**


	12. Ch 11: Summer Fun Time

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 11: Summer Fun Time

* * *

_(July 29; 9:45 am, Kyon's House, Living Room. 31 days until festival performance.)_

Tsuruya

Runners on second and third base. Two outs. Two strikes. Bottom of the ninth inning. Scores even. The crowd is absolutely silent as the final batter is preparing for his final strike at the ball. The pitcher winds up, throws a curved ball. The look of the batter matched the sheer boldness with the hard steel of the bat.

***CLING***

WAM! The ball flies across the sky near the middle of the field. All the outfielders rush towards the ball as it flies near the edge of the field while the batter runs the bases. The ball near the fence. All the men with gloves make a last ditch attempt to catch the ball as high as their arm can reach.

***PLOP***

NO! The ball passes the fence, and lands in solid grass! It's over! The crowd goes berserk as the batter pumps his hands in the air through pure delight and happiness! His team runs up, and lifts his body in the air, calling out his name with unbreakable smiles!

God! I love baseball, nyoron~!

Tsumugi Kotobuki 

Tsuruya-san? Were we not discussing about the days events?

Tsuruya

Huh? OH! Lots of sorries, everyone! I was just thinking about the game I was watching in Kyon's house that day. See, thing is, since that day I help Haru-nyan and the others with that baseball tournament in my junior year, I've kinda been developing a thing for baseball! I'm not very good at it myself, but then again, I'm not one to be on the front lines. Just watching the games themselves is enough to get me hyped up!

Tsumugi Kotobuki 

Tsuruya-san. You're getting distracted again.

Tsuruya

Oh. Oops. Sorry! I'll stop talking about it, alright?

Tsumugi Kotobuki 

Oh! No apologies necessary, Tsuruya-san. I know you get easily distracted, so I'm use to it. Go on ahead, then.

Tsuruya

Thanks, Mugi-chan! Okay guys, I'm gonna go ahead and get started, kay? Good!

* * *

Ya see, what happened before Mio-chan and Azu-nyan showed up was that while Kyon went upstairs to get his bass and Ui went to the restroom, Yui snuck pass me and went underneath the living room table that Mikuru-chan was sitting at.

_(Mikuru-channnnnn.)_

_(Huh!?)_ Mikuru swept her head back and forth to find the mysterious voice, but by the time she did notice, Yui popped out of the table, and started hugging Mikuru-chan.

_(AHH! Y-Yui! Please stop! This is embarrassing!) _

_(OHH I can't help it, Mikuru-chan! You're as cute as Azu-nyan, and your skin so soft and cuddly! I just want to hug you all day long!)  
_

For what its worth, I really couldn't anything. I was too busy laughing my butt off over how adorable and funny this was.

_(OH god freakin' damn it! Yui!) _Kyon's voice came running through the hallway, lowering his bass on the couch, then grabbed Yui from behind by the waist. _(Yui! Stop it! We went though this yesterday! GRR! Miss Tsuruya! Help me out here!)_

_(Hehehehhahaheheh, okay! SureHahah! ***STANDS UP* **heheh okay, Yui-chan! Enough is enough!)  
_

_(Ehhhhh! Come on! I wanna hug Mikuru-chan some-  
_

_Whoa!)_

_***THUD* **_Kyon managed to get Yui-chan's grip to loosen, which caused Yui-chan to fall face forward, landing her face right on the floor._  
_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_(Uhh, Kyon.) I said, breaking the silence. (I think you killed her.)_

_(I-I didn't do anything dangerous! ***LOWERS BODY*** Yui! Please tell me you're not dead! I don't need Haruhi or Ritsu hanging me off a pole!)  
_

_(***SNORE SNORE***)  
_

_(...Huh?)  
_

Kyon looked at the fully-asleep Yui, and moved his hands towards her eyes, looking rather suspicious._  
_

_(What's this...?)  
_

_(Hey! I heard some yelling upstairs!)_ Ui-chan spoke over Mikuru-chan's whimpering, coming from the hallway. _(What happened?)__  
_

_(Hey, look nyoron~! She has bags under her eyes!)  
_

_(Huh? Big sis has bags?)_

_(She must have used makeup to cover her under eyes.) _Kyon pointed out._ (Ui. Didn't you notice this?)  
_

_(No, not really...  
_

_Although, come to think of it, I did hear Big Sis playing wildly on the guitar last night when I went to sleep, and this morning, I noticed that alot of snacks we had in the pantry were mysteriously gone.)  
_

*****(***SIGH* **_She must have been going through an all-night sugar rush last night, and now, she's finally crashed.) _

_(***SNORE SNORE* **Heheh, oh no thank you. I couldn't eat another...__***SNORE SNORE***_)  


_(But you have to admit, doesn't Big Sis look cute when she sleeps like that?)  
_

_(I don't think being in a coma defines as being "cute".) _

* * *

(July 29; 10:00 am, Kyon's House, Living Room. 31 days until festival performance.) 

In the end, when Mio and Azu-nyan finally arrived, Ui-chan, Azu-nyan, and myself took sleeping beauty over to Kyon's room while Mio-chan and Kyon comforted Mikuru-chan, with Nagato-chan reading a book on the couch. After everything was set and done, we explained what had happened.

"Ahh. So, that's what happened." Mio-chan said.

"Mio. Tell me something." Kyon started to ask. "Are you sure that Yui isn't some grade-schooler with a quick-age deficiency?"

"Don't ask me. I'm still trying to wonder how Yui manage to pass Junior High."

"I'm trying to wonder how she manage to pass grade school."

"D-don't think about it the wrong way, guys!" Ui-chan spoke up. "Big Sis doesn't do stuff like this on a regular basis! It's a...uhh...a five-time thing! I swear!"

***PUTS HAND ON SHOULDER* **"Don't worry, Ui." Kyon comforted. "We understand."

"Egghhh..."

***DING DONG* **

"Ohh! Doorbell!" I shouted. "I'll get it!"

Before anyone said anything, I rushed out of the living room, and landed right in front of the front door, opening it with great force.

"Hel~lo there, Miss Tsuruya!" The ever-great Haru-nyan presented herself. "Hope you're enjoying yourself this evening."

"Hey there, Haru-nyan! ***RAISES RIGHT HAND* ** I'm doing super fine, thanks for asking! Some of the others have already arrived, so we're just waiting for Koizumi and Mugi-chan!"

"Well that's good! By the way, I need you to get some ice packs."

***LOWERS HAND* **"Huh? Why? You feeling sick again?"

"It's not an illness, and...heh heh he, it's not for me." She then stepped to side, letting me get a full view of the person behind her.

"Uggggghhhhhhh...so m-much p-p-p-pain..."

I was powerless to my conscience as I fell to my knees in blustering laughter. ***GIGGLES***

* * *

(July 29; 11:09 am, Kyon's House, Kyon's Room. 31 days until festival performance.)

Yui Hirasawa

_(Alright! Say "Ahh!", Azu-nyan!)_

_(A-ahhh! ***GULPS***)  
_

_(Did that Strawberry taste good, Azu-nyan?)  
_

_(Yeah...it was sweet and favorable. Just like you, Yui-senapi.)  
_

_(Ahhhh! You're too nice, Azu-nyan! I also give your cuteness a third out of ten! The cat ears and tail make all the difference!)  
_

_(D-do you like them? You said you really liked them the last time I put put them on so...)  
_

_(Of course! I gave you the nickname "Azu-nyan" because you have great resemblance to cats, and I think cats are super adorable! ***EXTENDS ARMS* **Come on! Let's cuddle!)  
_

_(Senapi... ***HUGS***)  
_

_(Hehehe. You're so warm, Azu-nyan. I'm so glad your with me.)  
_

_(Senpai...  
_

_Senapi...)  
_

***BONK* **

"Senapi! Wake up! It's been over an hour!"

My sweet dream of cats and cute cuddling was interrupted by the more meanie Azu-nyan. I noticed her right in front of me with my head to my side, looking as pretty as ever, with a small yellow loudspeaker in her hand.

"Heheh. Morning, Azu-nyan! I was just dreaming about you!"

"I don't even want to _know_ what I was doing in that dream of yours. More importantly, we heard what you did to Mikuru-senapi again, and I just wanted to be the one to tell you how much of an idiot you are before anyone else."

"Ehhh! Azu-nyan, you meanie! It wasn't like that! I was only expressing my gratitude towards her."

"She hasn't done anything for you yet, and I'm pretty sure you don't even know what 'Gratitude' means!"

_Doh! She struck home!  
_

"***SIGHS*** Just hurry up and wake yourself up already." Azu-nyan continued to talk. "Everyone else, including myself, have been waiting for you to wake up so we could...uhhhgg...get moving."

"Moving? For what?"

"You know that Ritsu-senapi's illness was fake, right?"

***NODS HEAD* **"Ummm hmm! Mio-chan called me this morning and told me everthing."

"Well, Haruhi-senapi and Ritsu-senapi came a little while after you fell asleep, and Haruhi-senapi gave Ritsu-senapi a... more than less-required punishment. After Ritsu-senapi recovered, the both of them agreed that we would be conducting a "fun" activity for us. So we're heading out to the public pool."

"OHH! Pool!" I screamed with sheer joy as I bounced out of Kyon-kun's bed. "I want to go swimming!"

"It's kinda stupid if you ask me. Didn't we just go to a training camp and goof of the entire tim-"

"Quickly, Azu-nyan! We have to get changed and meet the others! Summer fun time, here we come!"

"You're not even listening!"

* * *

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_


	13. Ch 12: Declaration of War!

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 12: Declaration of War!

**Author's note: I'm terribly sorry about the inconvenience. I've had so much to deal with this past month, such as Second Quarter exams, Christmas Exams, a (TERRIBLE) trip to South America, and going to the doctor. Needless to say, I haven't had much time to write.  
**

**Anyway, I'm sorry this is kinda short. I promise to make it longer next chapter!**

* * *

(July 29; 12:01 am, Public Pool. 31 days until festival performance.)

Kyon

_Remind me again, why are we here?_ That's what I was wondering as I faced the poolside that consisted of almost half the population of Tokyo. This was the summer time, after all. I would actually be suprised if we didn't have so many people crammed into one spot in one spot in the dead heat of the season air. I was so not surprised that a swarm of Déjà vu hit me the moment we arrived. I just hope it wouldn't come back to haunt me 15,532 time like last summer. My brain can only hold so much.

In case you're wondering how we manage to go from Yui having a grotesque dream about her with Azusa (Don't ask how I know. I don't want to remember.) to being at the local pool, let me just spell it out for you.

Haruhi and Ritsu came to my house shortly after Yui's big stunt, and presented themselves with an even more ridiculous performance than what they manage to pull before. We saw a white-faced Ritsu, in a track suit,on her hind-arms with two drum kits on her feet. Out of everything I've seen throughout my high school year, this one of the most normal things I've seen, to be honest.

We helped Ritsu out of that obstinate position, and she spent the next half hour moaning and groaning as if she caught the Bubonic plague. It was pretty extreme, even for Haruhi's bizarre way of thinking of punishments. If it came to that however, Mio would have the prize for the most "direct" line of thinking.

***RIMSHOT***

W-what the hell!?

Itsuki Koizumi 

Oh. Terribly sorry. That rim shot was at Miss Tainaka's request. She stated that if anyone were to perform a pun, we would need to play this track.

Kyon 

Give me that! I'm getting sick of people interrupting the story line. Especially Ritsu! Can't we just put her on a leash and be done with it?

Yui Hirasawa

Oh! I think Ricchan would make a cute puppy! Mio could be the care taker, Azu-nyan would, of course, be the cat, and Mikuru-chan could be the little baby doggy!

Kyon 

Wha..! What are you doing here too?! Okay, you know what?! Screw this! I'm getting lunch. Call me when you're not thinking of adopting pets!

***EXITS* **

Yui Hirasawa

Uh…did I say something wrong?

Mio Akiyama 

Not much, Yui. You just angered Kyon to the point of him quitting his part of the monologue.

Yui Hirasawa

Oh…Oopsie.

Mio Akiyama 

***SIGHS* **Oh well. I'll just start were he left off. And Yui? Try to be mindful of what you say when the recording is on, okay?

Yui Hirasawa

Ehhh…Okay.

Mio Akiyama 

Good, then. Now where were we… here. *AHEM*

* * *

_(July 29; 11:30 am, Kyon´s House, Living Room. 31 days until festival performance.)_

To make a long story short, it's as Kyon said. Ritsu was pretty much out of commission for about a half hour when she and Haruhi arrived at Kyon´s house. She was still concious, but it wasn´t looking like she was going to get up anytime soon.

_(Did you really have to go this far?)_ I asked Haruhi as I sat beside Ritsu.

_(Hey!) _She replied back. _(Let me tell you something. SHE was the one that bit the hand that fed her, so that hand had to smack back as appropriate punishment!)_

_Don't talk like that. You sound like a bad mother. _

_(Well, Haruhi, even though what she did to you wasn't proper, considering I know Ritsu, but that kind type of action doesn't really justify-)_

_(About our operation, we need to get down our business today, and we can't do that while we don't have all our members! Mio! Call your friend, Tsumugi and tell her to get her butt over here with Koizumi!)_

(…Why does it seem that all she's been doing is ignoring people lately?)

I didn't bother replying to Haruhi's demand, and reluctantly pulled out my cell phone as I stood up. Just as I started pulling Mugi-chan's number…

_***DING DONG* **_

…the doorbell rang. Good timing, I would say.

_(Don't worry guys. I'll get it.)_ I found myself saying. I think the reason was that I really wanted to get away from Haruhi. She had this sparkling look in her eyes that had me nervous for some reason. Judging from the way that Mikuru-senapi was so easily startled, I didn't like where that road would lead.

As I left the other to tend to Ritsu, I went to the front door to answer the call of whoever was there.

_***DOOR OPENS* **_

(_W-woah!_)

I opened the door, and a stack of boxes right in front of me. Somebody was holding them right in front of me, and they looked huge.

_(Good morning, Mrs. Akiyama.)_ The person behind the boxes said. I moved my body to get a better view of the man, and saw it was Koizumi.

_(Ah! Good morning, Koizumi-kun!)_ I responded. _(If you don't mind, could you explain what… _this_ is?_)

(_Ah. You see, Miss Kotobuki, I'd be happy to explain, but these boxes are quite heavy, and Mrs. Kotobuki has move supplies with her.) _He said as he keep smiling. He's really good at that.

(_Oh! I understand! I'm sorry. I'll help Mugi-chan with those things. You go on ahead!)_

_(Many thanks.)_

I moved to the side, allowing Koizumi to pass me to go deliver the boxes, while I went down the stair outside to where Mugi-chan was. A huge limousine was carrying large amounts of groceries in its truck. A butler walked by me as I passed by him, holding several heavy plastic bags, and didn't seem to care. Guess butlers have to show that type of grit to show towards their employers.

(_Ohh, Mio-chan!_) Mugi-chan said to me as I stopped at the back side of the limo. (_So glad to see you! Is everything going okay?_)

(_Uh..well, I'm not sure if 'okay' is a good word to use, but more importantly, you bought a lot of groceries! What kind of stuff did you buy?_)

(_Oh, I couldn't help myself! There were so many things at that supermarket that I kind of went a little wild. Have you heard of this type of snacks called 'S'mores'?_)

(_Y-yeah, and I'm pretty sure you bought some, right?_)

(_Yes! I've heard that foreigners enjoy this type of snacks when they're on vacation, so I really wanted to try it!)_ (I'm pretty sure whatever Haruhi has planned for us, we won't have time for a vacation.)

With a sigh lead by a smile, I helped Mugi-chan carry some of the groceries over to Kyon's kitchen. However, as I began to walk up the stone stairway, I remembered something.

(_Hey, Mugi-chan. About Koizumi, what was he carrying-_)

(_Mio! MIO!_)

A shout came into my ears, and I turned my head to see two water pistols being shot up straight in the air by none other than…

_(R-Ritsu!? You recovered fast!_)

(_Mio! You've got to see these awesome water guns that Koizumi brought in! Haruhi and I have declared an all-out water battle when we go pool side!_)

(Pool side?! When did we decide that!?)

* * *

(July 29; 12:01 am, Public Pool. 31 days until festival performance.)

Kyon

*SIGH* Okay. I'm feeling better now. Let's see. Cool head: check. No one's here: check. Sound effect machines disabled: check. Gave Ritsu a proper lesson in manners: someday. Okay then. *AHEM* Hey, guys. It's me. Sorry for suddenly dropping out like that, but a guy can only hold so much, being surrounded by senseless ideas about animal cosplay, but I digress.

So to avoid any more impediments that would stall the story, let's go back to we left off.

* * *

Our entire group of twelve stood at the entrance of the public pool, with an entire supply of equipment that can support a family of three for an entire weekend, minus clothing obviously.

"*SNIFF* You smell the chlorine?" Haruhi blurted out. "That makes it feel like summer!"

"You said that exact same thing last year." I pointed out. Haruhi simply sighed, and turned in my direction.

"Sheesh, Kyon. You really are an idiot. I'm telling to the new girls to that they would know it as well."

"Umm…we knew it too." Mio said to her. I could tell by Yui, and Ritsu's faces that they didn't knew, but assertively acted as if they knew we were talking about.

"So Haruhi, what are we doing here again?' I had to ask.

"Didn't I tell you before, Kyon? No wonder you have bad grades! Your memory needs to shape up!

_Thanks for telling the whole world about my secret. _

_Not. _ Look. This is the summer time, right?"

"Right…What about it?"

"Well, you know what that means right? This is the time of year when rest, relaxation, and fun are the primary needs for all the people on the planet. In order for us to win that competition, we need to get all of that stuff out of our system!"

"So _I_ have proposed" Ritsu butted in. "that we make today the most epic summer fun day that anyone can in the history of Japan! We'll have so much fun and enjoyment that we'll be completely drained by tomorrow! Then we'll be ready to prepare for the festival!"

I doubt that a human being could be drained of so much energy that a whole summers worth of fun could be so freely detached in one days-worth. It's like telling a novice pot-maker to create a scale replica of a Bizen Ceramic Hotei Okimono in less than two hours with no mistakes. Then again, this IS Haruhi we are talking about, so I'm not ready to deem it as intolerable.

"So umm..what are the water guns for?" Mrs. Asahina asked, as if she was afraid to ask the question. I would be lying if I said she didn't have good reason.

"Isn't it obvious?" Haruhi spoke. "It's for our first activity: The Water War! Brigade Vs. Band!"

"W-w-war?!"

"Yeah! War, and we're using these water guns for that sole purpose!"

"Are you sure that's not illegal in a public pool?" Azusa asked Haruhi, taking the word right out of my mouth.

"The guards didn't say anything, and there's no sign prohibiting it, so I'm sure it's fine-."

***SPLASH***

"Ahhhh!"

Splashing, followed by shouting, came from Mrs. Asahina's direction, who by now had taken a face-full of cold water.

"Mikuru-senapi!" Ui said, rushing over to her. "Are you okay?"

"S-s-s-so c-c-old…" With _my_ face now filled with concern, my head quickly turned to the direction of where the water came from, and found a water gun pointed straight at Mrs. Asahina, with a devilishly-smiling Ritsu.

"Heh, heh. Silly Mikuru-chan. First rule of war: never let your guard down."

_Okay! That does it! _My sorrow quickly turned into anger as I turned to the wagon Koizumi was carrying, and picked the largest rifle in stock. I was sick of this girl's ridiculous shenanigans, and besides! I'm use to Haruhi doing this, but when some stranger decides to mess with Mrs. Asahina, it's go time!

"When do we start this thing!?"


	14. Ch 13: Mio's Not a Good Swimmer

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 13: Mio's Not a Good Swimmer

* * *

(July 29; 12:36 am, Public Pool. 31 days until festival performance.)

Azusa Nakano

_Hmmmm! How long can we stay under here? Being underwater isn't fun at all, but being out there is like suicide! They weren't kidding when they said this was war._

I never imagined that a water-gun fight would escalate to such a state. To be honest, I really would've preferred our casual drinking tea in the clubroom 'activity' over that madness. Do you want to know why? It's mostly because that the S.O.S Brigade seems to take this competition seriously as if it hanged on its very fiber of its being.

At least, that's what it looked like to Haruhi-senapi. Everyone else seemed to be clam, and having fun. Kyon-senpai, however, was looking for blood. Ritsu-senpai's blood; to be more precise. The two of them were like oil and water mixed together; not a good combination. My guess was that Mikuru-senapi was Kyon-senapi's weak point, and Ritsu-senapi saw that to badger him. That's her specialty, after all.

*SIGH*

Anyway, let me explain the situation so far.

This 'competition' we had thrown ourselves into was, as you expected, a fight using water pistols. It was every man/girl for himself because a team battle would be "too short, boring, and uninteresting" says Haruhi. A one-shot blast rules the player out, and they sit out until the game is over. All in all, it would have been a very short match if Haruhi and Ritsu didn't one other rule.

(_A person can only get out if they are shot from a distance of 5 feet or more. That way, no one's hurt from close hits, and the match won't end so quickly!)_

As such, it's pretty hard to hit someone when you're a fair distance away from them. These water-guns did shot pretty far, but at a distance, a blast from one of those would be like the bite of a flea. So we really wouldn't notice if we got hit or not. Nevertheless, the commotion it causes made everyone fight even more, and soon after, they abolished that rule about thirty minutes after "Game Start".

Now, it was a real war zone, and so, I found myself trying to conserve as much air as I could possible muster in the only safe-zone allowed; underwater. I wasn't the only one though, which was to be expected. Mikuru-senapi spent most of her time down here with me as well, afraid of another cold blat to the face. Against Ritsu-senapi's might, I didn't blame her.

*****_**GULG***_

My lungs couldn't take more withdraw from air once I was underwater for a good two minutes. Anymore, and I would literally be "sleeping with the fishes" if we were at the beach. I'm betting that Yui-senpai would think I'd make a good cat-fish.

***SPLASH***

I had no choice but to surface. Mikuru-senapi followed my lead, and did the same thing. Once above the water, we observed our surroundings. There were several people out in the pool, and I didn't see anyone familiar, but I couldn't say for certain that we were safe.

"Mikuru-senapi" I said as I turn to my higher-up senpai. "Follow my lead, and be ready to strike when necessary, alright?"

"Uh..o-okay."

I nodded my head, and with the pump of my water-gun, we began forging through the crowd of summer-time pool swimmer. It wasn't too hard. We kept our nose right above the water, so about ninety percent of our bodies were partly disguised by the pool water. Plus, there were a lot of people in this humongous pool, making for even more good cover. As long as we didn't make any rash noises, we were golden.

"Huh?...Ah!

Wait!" I suddenly said.

"Huh?! What is it?" The orange haired senapi said behind me. I put a finger up to her lips, and gave a sharp "SHH!" to make her go quiet. We needed to be silent as I looked over to one end of the pool.

For there was one Haruhi-senapi at its end. Her eyes were closed, her hands appeared empty, and she had extended her arms across the pools edges. From the looks of it, she seemed to be relaxing.

Haruhi-senapi. Our loudmouth co-leader. Relaxing? Something was obviously fishy.

"What's she doing?" I had to ask myself.

"Umm…" Mikuru-senapi began saying. "Maybe she was getting bored and decided to quit."

I didn't know it at the time, but when competition is involved, Haruhi doesn't just drop it and quit whenever she gets bored. She fights. To the _death_. No challenge to great. Big or small, weak or strong, she'll take you on all the same.

…Alright, enough exaggeration.

The point is that she was planning something, and I didn't know it. We could've just swam away to avoid the dangers coming, but something inside of me was telling me something.

_This is it. You can do this, Nakano. You may be able to pull this victory off. Show these upperclassmen what a fierce cat is made out of!_

…_Wait. Oh man! That alias is seeping into my subconscious now! Perfect! _

"Mikuru-senapi." I spoke up. "Listen to me. We're taking down Haruhi-senapi."

"W-what!? No! I don't think that's a good idea!"

"Look at her! Her guard is completely down! This is the perfect opportunity to advance in this game."

She thought about it, and then looked back at her as if she was making up her mind.

"Umm…but uhhh, what if this is a trap?"

"…"

_Good point. I didn't even consider it. What if this WAS a trap? If so, when you take a second look, it's pretty obvious, and I didn't notice until Mikuru-senapi pointed it out. I think I'm losing it._

Still thought, I wanted to at least try, so quickly, I came up with a strategy with Mikuru-senapi.

An ambush.

If there was a trap, we would be plain stupid to go straight up and strike her there, out in the open, so we decided on an alternative. Miukru-senpai would go underwater, and pass the people in the pool to get near Haruhi-senpai's left side. Going to the right, I would do the same thing. Then, I would give a count-down, and then on "One!" we would rise up, and have her cornered, free for the shooting. That way, they won't have any reaction time if we shoot without hesitation. It was a pretty good plan for being made up on the spot, and that's exactly what we did.

…Right up to the part of the count-down.

We followed the plan as predicted, and we were now looking at each other as we were ready to strike. Mikuru-senapi shook her head in a signal that she was set. I did the same, and raised my hand, with three fingers present. It was now or never.

_Three…_

_Two…_

With my water pistol at the ready, someone was about to get finished.

_ONE!_

We blasted out of the water, and aimed our pistols on the target. However, we hesitated, as the person in front of us

was not Haruhi-senapi.

"Wha-Y-Yuki-senapi?!"

The purple-haired bookwork had replaced positions with Haruhi, and was simply reading a book that was in a plastic bag. Before I remembered that we were now exposed,

***SPLASH* **

"_And_, you're out!"

…Yeah. That pretty much sums it up.

* * *

(July 29; 12:42 am, Public Pool. 31 days until festival performance.)

Kyon

The match ended in a pretty basic summary. Everyone was ruled out except for Haruhi and Ritsu, where Haruhi managed to get the upper hand, and blast Ritsu from behind a 12-year old boy. Was I surprised? I think you already know the answer to that question.

Trust be told, I got a bit carried away. I was so focused on getting Ritsu, I was idiotic enough for Mugi-chan to strike me when I had mistaken her for Ritsu. I'll admit, Haruhi chose an excellent stage for that fight. Deception was key, and there plenty more than three in this crowd of people.

We eventually hung up the water-guns, and now everyone was now basically playing in the water like normal. I had no desire to be in that water anymore, so I sat out next to Nagato under the cool shade. Looking back, after the madness of the water-gun fight, the day seem to turn pretty peaceful. The sun was shining brightly, everyone was enjoying playing in the pool with each other. You couldn't ask for a better summer day.

"..."

Nagato was, of course, seemingly oblivious to everything around her as she continued reading one of the books she bought from the mall yesterday. Her quiet demeanor made it all the more silent than usual. Felling burned out from all the swimming I did and Yui's little wake-up call, I laid down on the plastic folding chair and closed my eyes.

Before I knew it, I was already in Dreamland.

* * *

Do you know what causes sunburn? In a more specific definition, sunburn is caused by UV-radiation that comes from the sun, which causes a reaction of the body to the direct DNA damage, which can result from the excitation of DNA by UV-B light. The damage is recognized by the body, which then triggers several defense mechanisms from the skin cells, including DNA repair to revert the damage and increased melanin production to prevent future damage.

That day, the amount of radiation must have made you feel like ice in a pizza oven, and I really didn't realize it while my conscious was in REM sleep or non-REM sleep (not sure).

"Uuggghhmmm..."

My eyes woke up to the trees creating the shadows on my body, with the plain blue sky beyond it. Rubbing my eyes in wryness, I noticed that my right hand was not feeling like my left hand, so my head turned, and noticed something puzzling.

Someone had placed a towel on my right hand, which was the only area where the sun's rays where hitting my skin. I removed it, and saw my hand was the same before I fell asleep. No damage whatsoever.

I wasn't very sure who it was, but I needed to thank them for not losing my hand to damaged skin cells.

"Eeep!"

A noise caught my attention, and I turned it, seeing a frightened Mio on one of the Steel Pool Stairs on the middle of the pool. She looked as if she wanted to go in the pool, but gave a scared look every time she looked at the water. It made me wonder why she didn't just step down and swim. This intrigued me, so I stepped up, and walked over to were she was.

"Hey." I spoke up as I halted my feet right in front of her. "Are you okay? You seem nervous."

"Oh! H-hi Kyon! I'm just about go it! Just making sure I don't fall, is all!"

_You've been standing there for five minutes straight. _

She looked down at the water again, and with a huge nose inhalation, she moved down a step.

***SLIP***

"AHHH!"

***SPLASH*****  
**

The slightest misstep caused her to lose her balance, and her entire self was now engulfed in the water. \

"Mio!" I didn't hesitate to dive in and jump in after her. I didn't give a damn if there was a "No Diving!" sign at the time. If Haruhi was able to go unnoticed, I sure as hell could too!

Once underwater, I looked for her, which took less than a second to do. She was flailing her arms and legs uncontrollably, and seemed to be shouting something too. Due to voice transmissions being blocked by the density of the water, I couldn't hear what she was saying. I swam to her, and managed to grab one of her arms. She looked at me, and looked surprised, but I didn't have time for more surprises. Slowly, I managed (somehow) to raise her up back to the stairs at the far, more shallow end of the pool.

Once seated, Mio started breathing heavily, and clutched her arms with her hands, unwillingly to let go as her body shock in fear with her head down. She was absolutely traumatized.

"Mio." I said after minutes of observing. "Are you okay?"

_Of course she's not okay, Einstein! Look at her!  
_

No reply. Just more whimpering. I'll say this much, I really just wanted to hug her for support, but common sense remained.

"Mio...you don't know how to swim?" _And why am I asking the most obvious questions right now? _

A mere shake of the head from her was all I needed for an answer.

"Hey! What happened?!"

Ritsu's voice came from Mio's side as she and Yui came running up to us.

I explained the whole scenario to them over Mio's snivels. When I finished, Ritsu shock her head in understanding. I couldn't believe her expression, though. For the first time, it looked like she was actually being concerned for another human being.

"I knew that Mio couldn't swim." Ritsu admitted. "That why I told her not to do anything to dangerous around deep water."

Yui suddenly presented a confused look on her face. "Huh? Mio-chan can't swim?"

...

"Y-yui." Ritsu said, raising her hand, pointing up two finger to Yui's face. "We went to two summer retreats. You didn't notice at all that Mio never went in the deep water?"

***SHAKES HEAD*** "MM-MM! I was too busy having fun with you guys!"

"You really need to pay attention to current events."

Ritsu then bended her body, and crouched next to Mio, who was now clutching her legs with her arms.

"Mio. Didn't you say that you would stay at the light end of the pool?"

"...I-I-I thought that I would be able to swim by myself for a change, so I..." She became quiet again as not to remember that horrid event. **  
**

Ritsu looked worried, but smiled and patted Mio on the back. "Don't worry, Mio! It's all over with! Besides, we're leaving anyway! Haruhi has the other changing in the bathrooms, so you don't have to worry the water getting you again."

"And besides," Yui intervened "it's lunch time!"

_Does she think of nothing but food? She's a bottomless pit! _

"R-really?" Mio said, raising her head.

"Of course! After lunch, we're going to the arcade! So quit your bellyaching and stand strong!"

Mio didn't immediately react, but soon she wiped her white-colored tears, and stood up. "Thanks, Ritsu. I...feel better now."

"Aww! Don't need to thank me! Ritsu-sama always knows what best for her children!"

_That didn't take long.  
_

**######### **

Soon after, everyone had gotten dressed, and we were getting ready to leave. Mugi-chan told us that there was a place called "Max's Burgers" which was the first Fast-Food restaurant she went to. Haruhi seemed to want to get lunch over with as soon as possible so that we could keep going on with the day, so she agreed.

I packed my bag with all my essentials, and threw the bag over my shoulder, ready to leave.

"Umm...Kyon?"

As I turn, I came face-to-face to Mio, how seem to have calmed down dramatically.

"Hey. Seems you've collected yourself."

"Yeah. I'm sorry I acted the way I did. It's so unlike me.

_Really? According to one fun-filled troll, that's what you usually do in most situations. _

and also..." She stopped, turning her bright face away as she was trying to decide what to say next.

"I wanted to thank you. I surely would've drowned if you did come rushing in. It seems that I owe you a 'life debt'."

When you speak of life debts, that mean that the person that you've saved from dying as now become your humble servant for the remaining life. I knew that Mio wasn't talking about it in 'that' sense, but I also knew what she was talking about.

"Don't worry about it. You looked as if you were in trouble, and so, I jumped in. Any natural guy would do the same thing."

"I-I know. Still, I fell as if I need to repay you in some way-"

***PATS MIO'S HEAD* **

"_Don't worry. _It's not that big of a deal. Truly." _Trust me. I've been in worse. _

Mio appeared unsettled there for a moment. She must have really wanted to get something of her chest.

"Kyon, I'm...not how to say this, but...

I'm...glad that you're the one how saved me."

That statement threw me off guard there for a moment. She was glad "I" was the one how saved her? That type of line is only used in those late-night romance dramas, and with her saying that, it made me feel really uncomfortable.

"I know it sounds weird," She continued. "but I'm the only one who doesn't know how to swim. The thought of me drowning in such deep water frightened me as a child, and I never had the gall to learn how to swim. I really wanted to know what deep water felt like, and I nearly died because of that. You were the only around there who could save me if I drowned, so..."

_! You mean...that she waited until I woke to try that swim? _

She lifted her head, whose face was now filled with determination. Grabbing me left hand, she made her plea. "I really want to Make it up to you! Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but I'll do something that'll fill that bill, if you'll only allow me to!"

Her eyes shot into my soul as she stared at me. Her avowal was straight and true, leaving me with no choice.

"Well, if you're that determined, I guess it'll be okay."

"Really!? Oh, thank you!" She shouted, shaking me hand up and down like a stuck lever. "Just say the word, and as long as it's reasonable, I'll do it the job right!"

_I knew she had her limits. _

That did matter at the time though. The gaze she was giving me now was something I didn't expect. It wasn't just exquisite. It was "Miss Asahina exquisite". I believed that it would've been an impossible feat to even attempt being that gorgeous. It was the first time, under that sunlight, that I saw Mio's true self. A beautifying girl who acts cool and collective, but has a secret childish side to her.

That moment was...really awesome.

***SHUFFLE* **

A piece of nature moved itself in front of our faces, with it's end being held by the hand of who you asked?

The fun-filled troll I mentioned earlier.

"What are you doing?" I asked miffed to Ritsu.

"What? You know the rules! Once your under the mistletoe, you know what to _do_!"

_It's the end of July, and besides, that's a tree branch, you Eco-terrorist! _

***GRABS HAND* **

Before I could react, Mio grabbed the tree branch from her, grabbed Ritsu's throat, and shoved the branch in her mouth, who then spit it out immediately, and gagged her mouth violently. Mio seemed satisfied, and turned to me with a bright smile.

"Well, Yui did say it was lunch time, after all."

* * *

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_


	15. Ch 14: A Long, Long Night

Let's Rock this Rocket ship!

Chapter 14: A Long, Long Night

**Author's Note: First off, I'm TERRIBLY sorry for not updating for the past couple months. A few months ago, I lost the password to my account, and I didn't remember where I put the paper I wrote it down on. Add school, friends, and family, and it took a long while to find it. Anyway, many "I'm sorry"'s, and I'll try to update again soon! :)  
**

* * *

(July 29; 10;56 pm, Kyon's House. 31 days until festival performance.)

Kyon

Huh?! Why do I have to go again!? I already went like three times extra!

Haruhi Suzumiya

You know perfectly why! This is divine punishment for your little act of cutting off your part of the monologue a couple of hours ago, leaving poor Mio to finish it for you! If you were a proper gentlemen, you'd conclude your turn without complaint!

Kyon

That was Ritsu's fault! I didn't know anything about some crazy "Rimshot" gimmick. It was completely unprecedented!

Haruhi Suzumiya 

That "gimmick" had its perks! Besides, you went against your co-leader's orders, so your going to stay here, and give the audience a proper monologue even if your tongue falls out!

Kyon 

How am I suppose to speak if I don't have a tongue?

Haruhi Suzumiya 

No excuses! Now, get to it!

***DOOR SLAMS***

Kyon 

Jeez... What's it going to take to put some sense into that head of her?

*SIGH*

Well, hi. Me again. I presume that you all heard what had just occurred. It seems that my little stunt a while back has now cost me my night's sleep, as I am recording this at twelve o'clock in the middle of the night. A guy can only hold so much in certain situations, but I knew that I was a big exception. being at Haruhi's beck and call nearly twenty-four hours a day. You'd think this is no big deal, but let me tell you. Everyone needs their eight hours! Even yours truly, who was once asleep for three year.

Hell, I can get cranky too.

...Alright, let's just get this over with.

*SIGH*

If sighing is a crime, I'd be a mass murderer. _Cliché_, right?

* * *

A day's worth of hyperactive activities was no stranger to our little brigade leader. However, our groups number was now multiplied by the factor of two, with our other half being not as abnormal, but twice as crazy. The band that struck Haruhi's interest was certainly something that the average person doesn't normally deal with, but then again, look who their partners are.

Ritsu lead our little legion across the town on a spending spree, and I swear that I could hear my wallet crying as Haruhi forced me to unload my money on stupid trifles like clothes, sweets, makeup. Yui even tried to persuade me to buy her a cat in a pet store! The flick on her forehead that I left was not a threat, but a warning that having pets are not as simple as it seems. Especially when they develop human tongues.

Throughout the entire day, the lot of girls when to every store on every block, and the mall where we first met, picking up accessories left and right, leaving Koizumi and I to be the heavy arms. An estimated total weight of the number of bags I was carrying raised the possibility of me growing a hunch back by a pretty good margin. Meanwhile, the esper with the abnormally lasting grin on his face seemed to be having no trouble at all. Whether he was just trying to show off or not, I was too tired to care anyway. Why were we the tortured party, you ask?

_"Because Gentlemen don't let alluring women such as ourselfs be left with a heavy burdens!" _says the Tomboy, Ritsu.

I should ask Mr. Arakawa if he ever needs a vacation. Put me in a suit and tie, plus all the services I've had to give to everyone that day, and I've got a good chance making it into butler school.

But, I digress.

Night had finally fallen, and my wallet was practically shedding tears right out as my months allowance was down the toilet. It was good luck that the end of the month happened to be around the corner, otherwise I would have to spend quite a while before I could purchase anything for myself again.

"YAAWWWW* "Man, is it dark out!" Ritsu yawned out in her sleep-deprived state. "Can't believe we went all out today! Our schedule was so packed today!"

By schedule, she means the endless hours she tried to win back the money she loss at, trying to beat us at racing games, and pool. Needless to say, she's not very good at that sort of thing.

I unlocked the door with my eyes ready to turn to dust, not noticing that my parents were not present in the household. I remember that they told me a couple weeks, right before my final exams, that they were going on a trip to the Philippines for the whole summer break, and offered me to go with them. As much as I would love to know what King Philip II did during his prime, I reluctantly passed. I honestly didn't have the energy to travel to another country, and I'm pretty sure Haruhi would chew me out later for abandoning my "duties" as a brigade member.

Forgive me sir. The "S.O.S Brigade International Bank" is unable to give any withdraws because his wallet is empty anyway. Please come again.

"Ahhhhhh..."

Yui and Ritsu plopped themselves on the floor of my inner doorway as soon as I unlocked and opened the door, taking up the indoor atmosphere like two polar bears in the Antarctic. "It's so good to be home!"

"Geez, Ritsu." Mio said as she began to move towards her. "This isn't your home-"

"What do you think you're doing?!" The dark-brown haired co-leader roared as she picked up Ritsu by the collar. "This is no time to relax! We have to make the best of tonight because tomorrow, we're starting our practice nonstop!"

"No thanks..." Ritsu replied by nonchalantly. "I'm fine with eating some desert and calling it a night-"

"GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!"

The next moment was Haruhi shaking Ritsu like a functioning clock whose hand was stuck on one of it's hinges. When she stopped, Ritsu looked like she was going to collapse.

"Umm...I'll go make some tea." Mugi managed to conger up, and left for the kitchen, quickly followed my Ms. Asahina. "Ah..I'll help!"

* * *

***15 MINUTES LATER***

"Geez! You call yourself a leader? You're the most lad-back person I've seen on your side." Haruhi said to Ritsu, who looked like a corpse. She apparently took that as insult, and rose immediately from her seat.

"You dare question my leadership!? I'll have you know that I've saved the Light Music Club from the brinks of destruction several time!"

"That's only because you're the one who causes them in the first place!" Mio shouted from behind me.

"You're not helping my case, Mio..." Ritsu whimpered back.

I didn't feel like getting involved in this scenario, mostly because I didn't have the energy to do so. So for the time being, I simply borrowed a book from Nagato's new stack of wonders, and forced myself to become invested in it. Around me, Haruhi continued to scold Ritsu on the fine points of successful leadership which Ritsu miserable listened to. Miss Tsuruya, Yui, and my little sister were watching an all-night Sc-Fi Anime marathon based on the futuristic concepts of high-tech speed racing, and Mio had retreated herself to the kitchen where Mugi, Ui, and Ms. Asahina were making late night appetizers. When I looked up one time, I noticed that Azusa was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps she had a need to use the restroom, but I won't go further into that.

"Excuse me?"

I jerked up at that voice, and found Ms. Asahina to my left, and Mugi to my right, both holding plates with my mom's fancy tea-cups.

"Would you like some tea?" They asked simultaneously, then turned to face each other with confused faces, meaning that they must of approached me at the same time.

_Oh God Damn it. _

This was clearly a test of my man-hood, and I was pretty sure I was going to fail. I was never that good at tests to begin with, but this was ridiculous. I would never resist the offer to be handed the holy water brewed by the lovely angel of the S.O.S Brigade, but according to Yui, the air-headed pianist not could play a mean piano. She was also a genius when knowing the finest compositions of tree leaves when making tea. Curiosity was a bad weak-point for me, and it didn't help. Besides, those crystal-blue eyes under those huge eyebrows seriously wanted her tea evaluated by an outsider.

It had to be me, obviously.

"OH! Tea-time!" The childish Guitar player accounted. She was now in front of the two, and didn't hesitate to swap Ms. Asahina's tea from her plate, leaving me with only one option.

"Oh, well. Guess it's Mugi-"

***SNATCH* **

"God! All this talking is making me thirsty! ***DRINKS*  
**

"Whoa! This tastes amazing! Did you make this, Mugi?"

"Oh! Yes, I did. My family happens to import sumptuous amounts of tea from many foreign countries in exchange for international businesses done, and I bring some to our clubroom everyday since I joined the Light Music Club, plus some treats every now and then."

"Well, I've gotta say, this is super neat! This tastes way better than those cheap knock-off teas you buy at the local store!"

I could hear Ms. Asahina sulking as her top of her head faced towards the wall. Did I mention I was now left tealess? I decided to use that to my advantage.

"Umm, Ms. Asahina?" I said to her in a quiet tone. "I could use some tea right about now...?"

"OH! C-coming right up!" She suddenly said, breaking off her depressed mood, and raced towards the kitchen.

_Guess that worked._

* * *

Nothing really special transpired during the next hour. Aside from the active games that our co-leaders made us go through, and the basic stories of our history for both of our clubs (or moreover, one club and a bootlegged standoff of a club), it seemed unusually peaceful. I had excused myself for a quick trip to the bathroom for business I will not go into detail with, and when I come back, the following conversation comes to light.

"I'm telling you! Mio's got the bigger bust! Those things are known to make men fall over her feet!"

"RITSU!"

"No way! Have you seen Mikuru's boobs?! We were unable to fit her into her bunny costume because that her prize of hers!"

"MISS SUZUMIYA!"

_...Opps. Forgot to flush. _

Before I could escape though, my right sleeve was pulled by the strength of a thousand men, and I found myself standing in front of a terrified Mio and Ms. Asahina, with Haruhi and Ritsu with sharp eyes.

"Kyon!" Haruhi said out loud. "We need your opinion! Who's chest do you think is bigger? Mikuru's or Mio's?"

"And speak truthfully!" Ritsu added. "We'll know if your lying!"

I desperately tried to figure out a way out of this uncomfortable situation, and so in order to gain time, I threw a curved ball.

"W-well...I'm...not qualified to answer that-"

"LIAR!" Ritsu yelled, then pulled me down to her height by the ear.

"OW! Cut it out!"

"Answer truthfully, and I'll let go then. Be honest, I've seen you gawk a glance or two at Mio's 'special place'."

"I'm not a pervert like you!"

"Maybe. Maybe not, but don't worry, I don't blame you. You are a guy, after all. You can't help but be curious, and with those melons who look like they could break the gravitational force of the earth, who wouldn't-"

***WHACK* **

"TRY SAYING THAT ABOUT MY CHEST AGAIN! I DARE YOU!"

Ritsu now laid flat down on the house carpet for the third time today, making me think that she must drink a lot of milk to keep her bones strong against Mio's punches. Using the current situation, I slipped out of the room, and ran out of the front door, ending on the front porch. Two days haven't even passed, and I'm already sweating in confusion and I'm out of breath.

Who knows what'll happen in the next month?

"***SIGH* **Good Grief."

"Uhh? Who's there?"

I opened my eyes in surprise, and saw someone on the front stair, with a guitar in her lap.

Guess I wasn't the only one who needed a break from the crazed atmosphere.

"Oh. Hey there, Azusa."


End file.
